Nainital: The legal battle of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi has taken another surprising turn. Justice Alok Verma, a senior judge of the Uttarakhand High Court, has recused himself from hearing a contempt case filed by Chaturvedi.
This is the 16th judge to withdraw from cases related to the officer — a record number in Indian judicial history for a single litigant.
16th judge recuses from hearing Uttarakhand IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s case.#uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/idxWPMVeqF
— ममता चतुर्वेदी/Mamta Chaturvedi (@chaturvedimamta) October 11, 2025
Justice Verma’s recusal now adds to a growing list of judges unwilling to hear his matters
Chaturvedi had filed a contempt petition, claiming that members and the registry of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had deliberately ignored a stay order passed earlier. Justice Verma’s recusal now adds to a growing list of judges unwilling to hear his matters. His brief order simply said: “List before another Bench,” offering no explanation. In a conversation with TV9 (English), Chaturvedi said, “I am also clueless. Why is this happening? It is surprising to me as well.”
Just two weeks earlier, on September 26, Justice Ravindra Maithani also recused himself with a similar note: “List before another Bench of which I am not a member.” Legal experts say this series of unexplained recusals is highly unusual.
Four High Court judges have stepped away from Chaturvedi’s case this year
This year alone, four High Court judges have stepped away from Chaturvedi’s cases. Justice Manoj Tiwari in February and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal in May had earlier withdrawn from separate matters linked to Chaturvedi’s role at AIIMS and his central deputation.
Not only High Court judges, but lower court judges and CAT members have also distanced themselves. In February 2025, CAT members Harvinder Oberai and B Anand recused themselves from a case concerning the alleged downgrading of Chaturvedi’s Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) by the then Union Health Minister, J.P. Nadda. In April, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Kushwaha also recused herself from a related matter.
16 judicial officers have now recused themselves, including two Supreme Court judges
Altogether, 16 judicial officers have now recused themselves, including two Supreme Court judges — Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice U.U. Lalit — four High Court judges, two lower court judges, and eight CAT members, including a former Chairman.
Legal experts are concerned about this trend. “This frequency is truly startling,” said a legal analyst. “If judges continue to recuse without reasons, it becomes harder for any citizen to get justice, even more so for someone like Chaturvedi who is fighting corruption.”
Chaturvedi, known for exposing irregularities and corruption during his service, especially during his time as Chief Vigilance Officer at AIIMS, has been involved in several sensitive legal matters. In 2018, the Uttarakhand High Court ruled that his APAR case must only be heard at the Nainital Circuit Bench, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court.