Judge M.L. Tahaliyani, who conducted the trial of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and sentenced to death Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, executed subsequently, was on Monday sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Maharashtra.
He was sworn-in by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at a function in Raj Bhavan attended by top dignitaries, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister for Higher, Technical and Medical Education Vinod Tawde, judges of the Bombay High Court and public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam.
Justice Tahaliyani succeeds Justice (retd) P.B. Gaikwad whose term as Lokayukta ended on July 1, 2014.
The Supreme Court described him as “a true flag-bearer of the rule of law in this country.”
In its judgement dated August 29, 2012, which upheld Kasab’s sentence, the apex court applauded the role of Justice Tahaliyani in conducting the trial proceedings and maintaining the record of the case in an exemplary manner, an official press release said.
The judgement delivered by Justices Aftab Alam and Chandramauli Prasad states, “In the course of hearing of the appeal, we also came to know the trial Judge Shri Tahaliyani. From the records of the case, he appears to be a stern, no-nonsense person. But he is a true flag bearer of the rule of law in this country. The manner in which he conducted the trial proceedings and maintained the record is exemplary. We seriously recommend that the trial court records of this case be included in the curriculum of the National Judicial Authority and the Judicial Authorities of the different States as a model for criminal trial proceedings.”
