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Madurai-based senior advocate S Vanchinathan appeared before the Madurai City Cyber Crime police on Thursday, July 31, urging action over the leak of a confidential complaint he had sent to the Supreme Court against a sitting judge of the Madras High Court. The complaint was circulated on WhatsApp and later went viral on social media.
Addressing the media after submitting a written statement, Vanchinathan said, “My complaint is about how a confidential petition sent to the Supreme Court was leaked online. The police must investigate how the scanned copy reached an advocate who posted it in a WhatsApp group.”
Vanchinathan said he had identified two advocates who should be questioned in connection with the leak. He alleged that the scanned copy of his complaint was first shared in a WhatsApp group on July 22, which led to its wider circulation. "The confidential petition was shared in a WhatsApp group called Madurai High Court Advocates, which is connected to BJP supporter Arun Swaminathan. The message was sent to the group by advocate Rajarajan," Vanchinathan told the media.
The petition was submitted by Vanchinathan, under the banner of rights group People's Rights Protection Centre, on June 14. In the petition addressed to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), he levelled 15 serious allegations against Justice GR Swaminathan, including caste bias, ideological partisanship, and communal prejudice, particularly in his handling of the Lavanya suicide case and comments on non-Brahmin temple priests.
Vanchinathan said the complaint, which alleged constitutional violations by the judge in question, was sent to the Supreme Court by registered post. “If such complaints get leaked, it puts the complainant's life at risk. More importantly, it discourages other lawyers and citizens from filing complaints against sitting High Court judges,” he said.
Seven retired judges expressed support for Vanchinathan, cautioning that only the Chief Justice of India can initiate action on such complaints through the in-house procedure.
Vanchinathan also expressed disappointment with the Cyber Crime police for not registering a First Information Report (FIR) despite the sensitivity of the issue.
During the hearing of a separate case on July 25, Justice Swaminathan summoned Vanchinathan to court, and sought clarification on whether he continued to allege caste and communal bias. Another hearing was held on July 28, presided over by Justices GR Swaminathan and K Rajasekar, after Vanchinathan had submitted a written response premised on his belief that the court was acting in retaliation to his Supreme Court complaint. During the hearing, Justice Swaminathan insulted Vanchinathan, remarking, “I don’t know who called you all revolutionary. You are all comedy pieces.”
The hearing sparked a public and institutional debate. However, Justice Swaminathan asserted, “We are also conscious of the rules of procedure. We are not fools… We will not be intimidated or cowed down. Judicial independence is supreme.”