Next generation will not believe that once High Court Judges in India sat very high standards of integrity.
My generation has only heard this story from our seniors.
A Gujarat High Court Judge was travelling in a train. The general talks were going on with fellow travellers.
Then one traveller took out bananas from his bag and distributed to fellow passengers.
The Judge refused to accept Banana and said,"No. I am a Judge. I cannot accept your free banana".
Here is another true story, when I shifted my law practice from Gujarat High Court to Supreme Court, I met President of High Court Bar Association, and said that as a parting gift, I wanted to offer ice cream to every member of Bar Association.
He agreed. The ice creams was called and served to all members of Bar. The President also sent ice cream to Judges in chambers.
One Judge objected. How can we accept free ice cream from a lawyer? The other Judges pacified him. 'There is no harm. He is leaving our High Court and shifting to Supreme Court. We are not going to give him any orders. So no harm in taking ice cream.'
The Judge who objected to free ice cream, later retired and came to Supreme Court to practice as Senior Advocate.
Then he told me about this story.
Haresh Raichura
10/11/13
