In a surprising incident, Justice Rohit Deo of the Bombay High Court tendered his resignation on Friday in an open court session. He conveyed his decision, citing a conflict with his personal integrity.
“I am sorry to inform you that I have submitted my resignation. I can’t work against my self-respect. You people work hard,” Justice Deo told lawyers present at the court. Nevertheless, Justice Deo refrained from elaborating on the reason behind this decision. He expressed remorse to the legal practitioners for occasionally adopting a stringent approach.
“To those who are present in the court, I apologize to each one of you. I scolded you because I want you to improve. I don’t want to hurt any one of you because you all are like a family to me,” he said.
His sudden resignation stunned everyone in the court.
In the wake of this resignation, the entire caseload scheduled before his bench for the day, as well as the entire panel, was formally discharged. Justice Deo assumed the role of a judge at the Bombay High Court in June 2017 and was originally expected to conclude his service in December 2025.