The recent Ghaziabad provident fund scam, involving several sitting and retired judges in Uttar Pradesh, has shocked even hardened critics of the judiciary. 26 judges — some serving in the Allahabad High Court and one in the Supreme Court — have allegedly been the recipients of Rs 23 crore worth of cash and valuables . This was swindled from the provident fund of district court employees in Ghaziabad.

This is a scandal of unprecedented magnitude and has landed the judiciary in a quandary. For better or for worse, the judiciary in India has traditionally carried a badge of utmost integrity and the situation of several judges being subjected to a police probe has never risen before.

Understandably, the Ghaziabad police sought permission from the Chief Justice of India and Allahabad Court to initiate a probe against the judges accused in this scam. While the Allahabad High Court dismissed the petition summarily, at the Supreme Court, Chief Justice K. Balakrishnan handled the request with remarkable astuteness and ordered a novel method of investigation that would protect the prestige and the reputation of the judiciary as far as possible.

Heading a Supreme Court bench, Balakrishnan directed the Ghaziabad police to submit a questionnaire that would be forwarded to the accused judges for their reply. Only if their replies are not found satisfactory by the police will the court consider permission for direct interrogation. Even this is an interim arrangement and the Supreme Court has sought further advice from the Solicitor

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