Judge recuses from hearing defamation case against whistle-blower Sanjiv Chaturvedi

A judge has recused himself from hearing a defamation suit filed against whistle-blower IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, citing personal reasons.

The case was filed by senior IAS officer and Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Vineet Chawdhry for disclosing his 'vigilance profile' containing allegations of impropriety by him.

This court does not want to adjudicate the present matter for some personal reasons, which are being sent to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Shimla..., Sidharth Sarpal, Additional Chief judicial Magistrate, said in his order dated April 27, a copy of which was made available recently.

The next date of hearing in the matter has been fixed as June 15.

Chawdhry, a 1982 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, had in 2016 filed a complaint with a local court seeking defamation proceedings against Chaturvedi.

Chawdhry alleged that Chaturvedi was maligning his image.

Chawdhry cited a letter written in 2014 by the