Justice Revati Mohite-Dere, known for her "soft voice and iron resolve," concluded a significant 12-year tenure at the Bombay High Court this week, leaving behind a legacy of powerful judgments that consistently upheld constitutional rights and held authorities accountable. Appointed in June 2013, she is now set to assume the role of Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
A Tenure Defined by Protecting the Vulnerable
In her farewell address at a full court reference on Wednesday, Justice Mohite-Dere reflected on her judicial philosophy. "For me, the judiciary was never just a profession, it was a calling. The chance to protect rights, uphold the constitution and impact lives in a meaningful way was deeply inspiring," she stated. She urged lawyers to "speak truth to power, challenge injustice and stand firmly for the voiceless."
Her work embodied this call. Following the horrific 2024 Badlapur sexual assault case, she took suo motu cognizance, compelling the Maharashtra government to issue directives for student safety. Her bench also sharply criticized the state police over their probe into the "encounter" death of an accused in the same case, ordering an FIR against the involved officers.
Holding Power to Account: Police, Agencies, and Government
Justice Mohite-Dere's bench was known for its no-nonsense approach towards investigative lapses and overreach. She expressed strong displeasure in multiple cases, including the forging of 880 maps in Madh Island and the "shameful" delays in acting against "digital arrest" scams targeting senior citizens.
Her orders often translated into concrete action:
- In October 2023, she ordered compensation for deaths and injuries caused by potholes.
- In September 2024, the HC transferred the probe into Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar’s murder to the CBI.
- In August 2024, dissatisfied with the police investigation, her bench formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for the demolition drive at Powai’s Jai Bhim Nagar colony.
- She deprecated the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for post-midnight questioning of a senior citizen in April 2024, emphasizing the "right to sleep," and ordered a probe into BJP MLA Nitesh Rane’s alleged hate speeches.
- She also questioned the CBI over its conviction rates while hearing former ICICI CEO Chanda Kochhar’s plea in 2023.
Championing Personal Liberty and Marginalized Rights
Justice Mohite-Dere's jurisprudence had a strong focus on personal liberty and the rights of women, children, and marginalized communities. Last month, her bench expressed concern over infant and maternal deaths in Melghat and ordered the prioritized appointment of specialized doctors.
Her landmark interventions included:
- In February 2021, while rejecting a convicted husband's appeal, she observed that a "wife is not chattel or object" and criticized persistent medieval notions.
- She allowed terminations of pregnancy beyond the 24-week limit in cases of extreme urgency and partner abandonment, ensuring women's reproductive rights.
- In December 2024, she suggested creating safe houses in state guest houses for inter-caste or inter-faith couples facing threats.
- A year earlier, she proposed a panel to sensitize police on handling LGBTQIA+ cases.
- She played a key role in reforming the observation home for children in Dongri and closely monitored prison conditions.
Her compassion extended to animal welfare, as seen in the July 2023 order to transfer the 'Mahadevi' elephant from Kolhapur to a sanctuary in Gujarat's Vantara, prioritizing its well-being over religious use.
Decisive Actions in High-Profile Criminal Cases
Justice Mohite-Dere also presided over several critical criminal matters, demonstrating a balanced approach. In 2024, she upheld the death sentence for a Kolhapur man convicted of a gruesome matricide and cannibalism, and also upheld life terms for a tantrik who raped six minor girls.
Conversely, she protected individuals from state overreach. In the same year, her bench rejected the CBI's plea to stay the 'Indrani Mukerjea' docuseries and quashed lookout circulars against Rhea Chakraborty and her family in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
In a significant 2024 ruling, she set aside the acquittal of ex-cop Pradeep Sharma in the 2006 Mumbai fake encounter case, ordering a life sentence. She was also part of historic benches that allowed women into Haji Ali Dargah's inner sanctum in 2016 and upheld the death penalty for the Shakti Mills gang rape accused in 2019.
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere's tenure at the Bombay High Court stands as a testament to a judiciary that is both a stern watchdog and a compassionate protector, leaving an indelible mark on India's legal landscape.
