Tobacco case: Advocate tells Judge BS Patil to recuse himself

Bangalore, 11th March, 2017: Advocate K. V. Dhanajay yesterday filed an application in Karnataka High Court seeking the recusal of Justice B S Patil from Writ Petition No. 4470 of 2015 (GM-RES). He pointed out that Justice Patil was disqualified from hearing the tobacco cases as his daughter Monica Patil was an Advocate with Poovayya & Co., the law firm representing the leading tobacco companies. Poovayya & Co lists Monica Patil, daughter of Justice BS Patil on its website. 

Read Recusal application to High Court of Karnataka: http://bit.ly/Tobacco-Karnataka-HC

Advocate Dhananjay and others appearing on behalf of various NGOs propagating stricter controls on tobacco, have questioned the way in which tobacco manufacturers from various states have all filed before Karnataka High Court seeking relief from 85% graphic warning on tobacco packaging.



Advocate Dhananjay, Activist Ravi Krishna Reddy, and many others, alleged that the bench headed by Justice B S Patil openly displays bias towards the tobacco lobby in the conduct of hearings. The nexus between the law firm, Poovayya & Co, representing tobacco manufacturers and Justice BS Patil, casts further doubt on the judge's intentions. Why didn't Justice Patil declare his close connection to this case, asks Advocate Dhananjay? Why didn't he recuse himself from hearing this case? Isn't the conflict of interest evident to the honourable court?

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