Wikipedia

Deepak Verma (judge)

Deepak Verma is an Indian jurist and a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.[2] His career in the Indian judiciary includes serving as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka,[3][4] and holding the position of a judge in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.[5][6][7][8] After retiring from the Supreme Court, Justice Verma has become known for his work as an international arbitrator and mediator, and he has acted as an expert[9][10][11] on matters of Indian law in several high profile cases before foreign courts and international tribunals including the Enrica Lexie incident and the multi-billion dollar Vijay Mallya case. He has also assumed the role of a sports ombudsman in India.[12][13][14] Additionally, he has chaired significant High-Powered Judicial Committees appointed by the High Court and the Supreme Court of India.[15][16] He also serves as the chairperson and member of the advisory board of several distinguished non-profits, educational institutions and universities in India.[17][18][19][20][21]

Deepak Verma
Judge of the Supreme Court of India
In office
11 May 2009 – 27 August 2012[1]
Nominated byK. G. Balakrishnan
Appointed byPratibha Patil
Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court
In office
4 March 2009 – 10 May 2009
Nominated byK. G. Balakrishnan
Appointed byPratibha Patil
Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court
Acting
In office
2 January 2008 – 3 March 2009
Nominated byK. G. Balakrishnan
Appointed byPratibha Patil
Personal details
Born (1947-08-28) 28 August 1947 (age 77)
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
SpouseShevanti Verma
Children2
OccupationIndependent arbitrator, mediator

Biography

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Early life and education

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Justice Verma was born on August 28, 1947, in Jabalpur to R.P. Verma, who was an eminent lawyer in Madhya Pradesh. His educational journey began with his schooling at institutions such as Christ Church, Mahakaushal High School, and Model High School, and culminated with his matriculation from Naveen Vidya Bhawan in Jabalpur. Following his matriculation, he initially pursued a B.Sc. degree at Government Science College, Jabalpur, but subsequently transitioned to the field of Arts, ultimately completing his B.A. from St. Aloysius College in Jabalpur. Justice Verma then embarked on his legal education journey, earning his LL.B. degree from Jabalpur University. His enrollment as an Advocate occurred in the year 1972, marking the official commencement of his legal career.[22][23]

Career

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Justice Verma's legal career was rooted in civil law, primarily under the guidance of his father, the late Shri R.P. Verma, a distinguished lawyer of his time. He practiced as an Advocate on the civil side until his elevation in 1994. During his tenure as an Administrative Judge of Indore until August 2005, he played a significant role in judicial administration. Subsequently, he continued his service as the Administrative Judge at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in Jabalpur.[24][25]

During his tenure as an appellate court judge, he was renowned for his compassion towards underprivileged litigants. As a sitting judge of the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Verma was entrusted with the critical role of Welfare Commissioner for the Bhopal Gas Victims, tasked with disbursing compensation to those affected by the tragic Bhopal gas disaster, which is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster involving thousands of deaths and over half a million victims of serious non-fatal injuries.[26] Under his stewardship, a substantial number of victims received their rightful compensation, with diligent efforts made to locate and assist even those who were not traceable despite multiple notices. He is known to have disposed of all matters pending before him by holding sittings for the victims even during public holidays.[27][28][29][30][31] His judicial career extended beyond Madhya Pradesh when he was transferred as a Judge to the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore on January 2, 2008, owing to his seniority. Being the seniormost judge on the bench, he also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. On March 4, 2009, he was further elevated as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court,[32] and he took the oath of office on March 6, 2009. Subsequently, he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 11, 2009, where he continued to serve until his retirement on August 28, 2012.[33]

Justice Verma's judicial career culminated with his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India in 2009. During his tenure on the bench, he delivered numerous landmark judgments in a wide array of legal areas, including administrative law, arbitration law, criminal law, constitutional law, insurance law, family law, company law, service law, and taxation, among others. His judgments continue to serve as precedents in various legal matters.[34][35] He was part of several benches of the Supreme Court of India dealing with critical issues such as the Right to Food, which aimed to ensure the distribution of grain to the poor at "no cost" or "very low cost" as part of the efforts to streamline the Public Distribution System.[36][37][38] Additionally, he was part of the bench at the Supreme Court that redefined medical negligence to include cases involving overdose of medicines, failure to inform patients about potential side-effects of drugs, lack of extra care in cases with a high mortality rate, and hospitals failing to provide fundamental amenities to patients. Notably, he also presided over the appeal in the high-profile 1999 Delhi hit-and-run case, among other significant cases.[39][40][41]

Post-retirement from the Indian judiciary, Justice Deepak Verma established himself as a prominent arbitrator and mediator in both domestic and international disputes. He has presided over more than 200 domestic and international arbitrations, rendering awards in complex cases valued at several billion dollars. His expertise spans a wide range of sectors, including construction, energy, insurance, maritime, international trade, and more. Additionally, he has provided expert opinions before international tribunals and courts worldwide.[42][43][44]

Expert in Indian law

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Justice Verma is widely recognized as an expert in matters of Indian law. He has acted as an expert witness in several precedent-setting multijurisdictional disputes before the Federal Courts in the United States, the Senior Courts in England and Wales, the Commission for Control of INTERPOL Files (CCF), and the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. He has also acted as the inquiry authority and overseen internal investigations for several multinational corporations and banking and financial institutions.[45][46][47]

Philanthropy

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Justice Deepak Verma is also known for his philanthropic contributions to society. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he made a generous contribution of Rs. 51 lakh to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to support the welfare of laborers and migrant workers, which was arguably one of the highest donations by a jurist in India.[48][49] He actively supports various non-profits in India working for women empowerment, the poor and the marginalized.[50][51][52] Justice Verma also serves as the Chairperson and Trustee of the Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLIC), a non-profit legal aid and education organization that provides free legal assistance to those who lack the capacity to seek legal remedy.SLIC is an implementing partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).It files more than 100 petitions each year to protect the health, dignity, and rights of Indian citizens. SLIC has emerged as one of India’s largest and most active legal human rights program and reproductive rights unit, through its project the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).[53][54]

Professional memberships and appointments

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Justice Deepak Verma holds memberships in several prestigious arbitration and mediation institutions worldwide.[55][56] Post retirement from the Supreme Court he has acted as a sports ombudsman for major cricket associations in India and chaired High Powered Judicial Committees appointed by the High Court and the Supreme Court of India.[57][58][59]

Notable Appointments

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  • Chairperson: High Powered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court of India to oversee import, transfer, procurement, rescue, and rehabilitation of wild animals, including those in captivity, across India (2022).[60][61][62][63]
  • Ombudsman: Delhi & District Cricket Association (2020).[64][65][66]
  • Ombudsman: Hyderabad Cricket Association (2021).[67][68]
  • Electoral Officer: Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (2022).
  • Chairman: Justice Deepak Verma Committee constituted by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in a Public Interest Litigation (2018).[69]
  • Chairman: Three-Member High-Level Committee of the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) (2013).[70]
  • Chairperson: High Powered Committee constituted by the High Court of Agartala in a Public Interest Litigation (2022).[71]

References

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  1. ^ "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Deepak Verma". karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in.
  2. ^ "Supreme Court of India - Former Judges". supremecourtofindia.nic.in.
  3. ^ "Acting CJ disposes of 15 cases in Dharwad". The Hindu. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Dinakaran sworn in Chief Justice". The Hindu. 9 August 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Former High Court Judges - High Court of Madhya Pradesh". mphc.gov.in.
  6. ^ "High Court of Karnataka Official Web Site". kar.nic.in.
  7. ^ "High Court of Karnataka Official Web Site". kar.nic.in.
  8. ^ "Hon'ble Chief Justices elevated to Supreme Court of India". hcraj.nic.in.
  9. ^ Polepalli, Sindhura Natesha (2021). "The Award in the Matter of an Arbitration Concerning The "Enrica Lexie" Incident (Perm. Ct. Arb.)". International Legal Materials. 60 (2): 180–289. doi:10.1017/ilm.2020.66. ISSN 0020-7829.
  10. ^ "Bankruptcy petition against Mallya in UK is illegal, retired Indian SC judge tells UK court". The Times of India. 19 December 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Arms dealer Bhandari faces risk of violence & extortion in Tihar, former SC judge tells UK court". The Times of India. 4 October 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Justice Deepak Verma appointed DDCA's new Ombudsman". The Hindu. 29 December 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  13. ^ "HC upholds Justice Verma's Appointment as HCA Ombudsman". The Times of India. 7 April 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  14. ^ "AITA appoints three-member panel to look into rebel players' grievances". India Today. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  15. ^ https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2021/25103/25103_2021_1_14_44463_Order_12-May-2023.pdf
  16. ^ "Committee to oversee transfer and import of captive wild animals in India: Supreme Court". The Hindu. 11 March 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Symbiosis International (Deemed University)". siu.edu.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Board of Governors & Committees – Bimacc". Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Trustees of SLIC — SLIC". www.slic.org.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  20. ^ "KFCRI".
  21. ^ https://siac.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/9.-Justice_Deepak_Verma_Profile_May2021.pdf
  22. ^ "Hon'ble Mr.Justice Deepak Verma". karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  23. ^ http://vi.piac.vn/DesktopModules/TTOArbitratorListing/PDF/CV-Justice-Deepak-Verma.pdf
  24. ^ "KFCRI".
  25. ^ "Hon'ble Mr.Justice Deepak Verma". karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  26. ^ Mandavilli, Apoorva (10 July 2018). "The World's Worst Industrial Disaster Is Still Unfolding". The Atlantic. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  27. ^ "No revision cases from gas tragedy still pending | International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal". www.bhopal.net. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  28. ^ https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1362/simple-searchquery=GSR%20282(E)%20Regarding%20appointment%20of%20Shri%20Justice%20Deepak%20Verma%20to%20post%20of%20Commissioner&searchradio=notification
  29. ^ "Gas NGOs given task to trace claimants". Hindustan Times. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  30. ^ https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/62625/1/14_Chemicals_And_Fertilizers_3.pdf
  31. ^ https://unaccc.world
  32. ^ "I am not pro any caste or religion: CJ". The Times of India. 17 March 2009. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Hon'ble Mr.Justice Deepak Verma". karnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  34. ^ "FORMER JUSTICES | SUPREME COURT OF INDIA". main.sci.gov.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  35. ^ Agrawal, Anuj (17 July 2014). "The Verdictum: Justice Deepak Verma". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  36. ^ "Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on additional foodgrain supply to BPL families". The Hindu. 29 October 2010. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  37. ^ "Give foodgrain to poor rather than let it rot: SC". The Economic Times. 13 August 2010. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  38. ^ "Supreme Court asks Centre to give grains to the poor". DNA India. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  39. ^ "1999 BMW hit-and-run case: SC acquits three co-accused". India Today. August 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  40. ^ "Three accused in BMW hit-and-run case acquitted". The Hindu. 1 August 2012. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  41. ^ "Supreme Court redefines medical negligence". India Today. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  42. ^ "Deepak Verma | Jus Connect".
  43. ^ Justice Deepak Verma Profile (PDF) - Published on the website of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).
  44. ^ https://pcacases.com/web/sendAttach/16500
  45. ^ https://epaper.timesgroup.com/timesspecial/news-current-affairs/why-uk-court-discussed-tihar-how-economy-is-big-test-for-truss-/1665114216013
  46. ^ "Bankruptcy petition against Mallya in UK is illegal, retired Indian SC judge tells UK court". The Times of India. 19 December 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  47. ^ "Deepak " Hardy Expl. & Prod. (India), Inc. v. Gov't of India, 219 F. Supp. 3d 50, 55 (D.D.C. 2016)
  48. ^ "Deeply Pained By The Plight Of Labourers': Former SC Judge Justice Deepak Verma Contributes Rs. 51 Lakh To PM's Relief Fund". LiveLaw.in.
  49. ^ "Coronavirus: Retired Supreme Court Judge Deepak Verma Donates Rs 51 Lakh To PM's National Relief Fund". News Nation English. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  50. ^ "Sponsors".
  51. ^ https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=616834935873576
  52. ^ "Instagram".
  53. ^ "Trustees of SLIC — SLIC". www.slic.org.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  54. ^ https://slic.org.in
  55. ^ https://siac.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/9.-Justice_Deepak_Verma_Profile_May2021.pdf
  56. ^ https://www.aiac.world/panellist/8129
  57. ^ "Committee to oversee transfer and import of captive wild animals in India: Supreme Court". The Hindu. 11 March 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  58. ^ "Justice Deepak Verma appointed DDCA's new Ombudsman". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  59. ^ "HC upholds Justice Verma's Appointment as HCA Ombudsman". The Times of India. 7 April 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  60. ^ "High powered panel led by Justice Verma to decide issues concerning wild animals in country: SC [Read Judgment]". Lawstreet.co. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  61. ^ https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/6325202313150142539judgement03-mar-2023-461959.pdf
  62. ^ "Supreme Court forms HPC on inter-state transfer of wild animals". Hindustan Times. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  63. ^ Sharma, Padmakshi (6 March 2023). "Supreme Court Forms Committee To Oversee Transfer/Import Of Wild Animals In India". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  64. ^ "Justice Deepak Verma appointed new ombudsman of DDCA".
  65. ^ "DDCA Ombudsman now also in charge of Hyderabad Cricket Association". The Times of India. 9 September 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  66. ^ "Justice Deepak Verma appointed new ombudsman of DDCA". Yahoo News. 29 December 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  67. ^ "Deepak Verma says he is the Ombudsman of HCA". Telangana Today. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  68. ^ "HCA row: Telangana HC bats for ex-SC judge Verma as ombudsman". The Times of India. 10 April 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  69. ^ "SIT to assess 550 claims received under Pinnacle Dreams project in a week". The Times of India. 24 September 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  70. ^ hairman: Three-Member High-Level Committee of the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) (2013).
  71. ^ "Panel led by ex-judge to decide issues on wild animals: SC". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
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