P. B. Sawant

P. B. Sawant (born 30 June 1930) is a former Supreme Court judge in India.

After doing his law degree (LL.B.) from Bombay University, Sawant started practise as an advocate at the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court of India. In 1973 he was appointed Judge of the Bombay High Court; among his notable acts was an inquiry on the Air-India aircraft crash in June, 1982. He was appointed justice in the Supreme Court in 1989.^[1]

Since his retirement in 1995, he has been active in public affairs.

In 2002, he along with justice V. R. Krishna Iyer headed a citizen's panel to investigate the 2002 Gujarat riots.^[2] Their report includes testimony of the then Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Haren Pandya (since murdered), who testified about a meeting convened by Narendra Modi on the evening of the Godhra train burning. At this meeting, officials were instructed not to obstruct the Hindu rage following the incident.^[3] The report also highlighted a second meeting, held in Lunawada village of Panchmahal district, attended by state ministers Ashok Bhatt, and Prabhatsinh Chauhan, and other BJP and RSS leaders, where "detailed plans were made on the use of kerosene and petrol for arson and other methods of killing.".^[4]

Sawant chaired the P. B. Sawant commission constituted on 1 September 2003 to investigate corruption charges against 4 ministers of the Government of Maharashtra, namely, Nawab Malik, Padmasinh Patil, Suresh Jain and Vijaykumar Gavit. He submitted his report on 23 February 2005, which indicted Nawab Malik, Padmasinh Patil and Suresh Jain but exonerated Vijaykumar Gavit. It resulted in the resignation of two state cabinet ministers, Suresh Jain and Nawab Malik.^{[5] [6]}

References

1. ^ http://www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/pbsawant.htm
2. ^ http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=13475
3. ^ http://www.tehelka.com/story_main41.asp?filename=Ws090509Ram_Puniyani.asp
4. ^ http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20021202&fname=Tribunal+(F)&sid=1
5. ^ Abraham, Renni (12 March 2005). "Nawab Malik resigns after panel indictment". Business Standard. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/nawab-malik-resigns-after-panel-indictment/200230/. Retrieved 10 April 2011. 
6. ^ Bavadam, Lyla (March 12-25, 2005). "A probe report and politics". Frontline Vol.22 Issue 7. http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2207/stories/20050408002602900.htm. Retrieved 10 April 2011. 

External links

• Report of Justice P. B. Sawant Commission of Enquiry

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Name	Sawant, P. B.
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Date of birth	30 June 1930
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