A renewed focus has been cast on judicial corruption in India with the resurfacing of allegations regarding former Delhi High Court judge Shamit Mukherjee’s arrest in 2003, a landmark event remembered for its scale and implications. Justice S.N. Dhingra, a retired Delhi High Court judge known for his candid critique of unethical practices, has repeatedly drawn public attention to the persistence of corruption within the highest legal institutions.
Revisiting the Shamit Mukherjee Case
Shamit Mukherjee’s case remains one of the most sensational judicial scandals in India’s recent history. Soon after his retirement in 2003, Mukherjee was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on corruption charges. According to the probe, court orders were prepared at the home of a known land mafia and allegedly simply signed off by the judge. Allegations also emerged of severe personal and professional misconduct, although official records primarily led to prosecution over financial irregularities.
“दिल्ली हाईकोर्ट जज समित मुखर्जी लड़कियाँ मंगवाता था, एक भूमाफिया के घर ऑर्डर टाईप होते थे और यह जज साइन करता था…”,…:—-जस्टिस एस एन ढींगरा
— Ocean Jain (@ocjain4) October 19, 2025
तस्वीर मे शमित मुखर्जी…. 2003 मे इस high कोर्ट जज को रिटायरमेंट के बाद CBI ने गिरफ्तार किया था pic.twitter.com/zMVARq8hjd
Justice Dhingra: The Voice Against Judicial Corruption
Justice S.N. Dhingra, who has spoken publicly about systemic problems, recently reiterated the urgency of cleansing the judiciary. In interviews and statements in 2025, he remarked that corruption is “deep-rooted” in the system and criticized the protective inaction that has followed multiple controversies. “A judge is not above the law,” Dhingra insisted, calling for immediate investigations and the removal, or even criminal prosecution, of judges under serious suspicion.
Dhingra has further argued that failure to act against judicial corruption erodes public faith in justice and that transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining the dignity of the courts. The Supreme Court, he asserts, must support FIRs and due process against accused judges, rather than rely on administrative transfers or quiet retirements.
The Road Ahead
Despite reforms and increasing scrutiny, Indian courts continue to face allegations of corruption and misconduct at various levels. Justice Dhingra’s outspoken stance serves as a reminder of the urgent need for institutional safeguards that go beyond mere symbolism—ensuring the legal system holds its own members accountable as firmly as it does the public.