A Madhya Pradesh High Court judge stepped aside from hearing an illegal mining case linked to Katni after disclosing that a member of a BJP MLA’s family had attempted to contact him regarding the matter. The case involved allegations of illegal mining activities in and around the Katni region and an alleged lack of action by local authorities despite repeated complaints.
In his order, the judge stated that since an attempt was made to communicate with him about the case, it would be appropriate to recuse himself to maintain judicial fairness and avoid any perception of bias. He directed that the case be placed before the Chief Justice for reassignment to another bench. The development sparked political discussion, with opposition parties raising concerns over the influence of political figures in sensitive legal matters. The case is now expected to continue under a different judge.