A dramatic turn of events in the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday created ripples not just in the courtroom but also across the political corridors of the State.
Justice Vishal Mishra, who was hearing the petition Ashutosh Dixit versus Economic Offences Wing (EOW) related to allegations of large-scale illegal mining, suddenly recused himself from the matter after disclosing that BJP legislator Sanjay Pathak had attempted to contact him directly over the case.
In his order, Justice Mishra Stated that Pathak had tried to reach him on the phone to discuss the matter, and therefore he would not continue hearing it. Treating the incident as extremely serious, the court referred the case immediately to the Chief Justice, who will now decide which bench will take it up.
The petition was filed by Ashutosh Dixit, who approached the EOW with a complaint regarding rampant illegal mining and later moved the High Court alleging that the investigation was not completed within the prescribed timeframe. During the proceedings, Sanjay Pathak, though not an original party to the case, sought to intervene by filing an application to place his side before the court. That intervention proved to be the starting point of the controversy.
The courtroom witnessed arguments from all sides, with senior advocate SR Tamrakar and Ankit Chopra representing the petitioner, while the EOW was defended by advocate Madhur Shukla. The intervention application, filed on behalf of Nirmala Pathak, wife of the late Satyendra Pathak, and Yash Pathak, son of Sanjay Satyendra Pathak, was presented through advocates Anshuman Singh via video conferencing and Vasu Jain. The court’s reference to this application became central to the hearing.
The disclosure by Justice Mishra instantly lent the matter a political dimension. Opposition leaders seized on the development to accuse the ruling BJP of attempting to misuse political clout and interfere with judicial processes.
Congress leaders alleged that the episode was another reflection of the BJP’s tendency to put pressure on independent institutions, warning that such conduct not only raises serious questions of propriety but also damages the credibility of governance. The incident, described as a “phone scandal” in legal circles, has already begun resonating beyond the courtroom, and its impact on the political stage could be significant.
Now the proceedings await the decision of the Chief Justice on which bench will hear the case further. Yet the question that continues to dominate debate is whether the controversy will remain confined to judicial forums or whether its echoes will grow louder in the political arena, potentially leaving the BJP to deal with uncomfortable repercussions.
Notably, Sanjay Pathak is a five-time MLA representing the Vijayraghavgarh constituency in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh.