Pradip Kumar Mohanty Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Justice
Pradip Kumar Mohanty
Honorific-Suffix:Judicial Member, Lokpal
Office:Acting Chairperson of the Lokpal
Term Start:28 May 2022
Term End:26 February 2024
Appointer:Ram Nath Kovind
Predecessor:Pinaki Chandra Ghose
Successor:Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar
Office1:Judicial Member of Lokpal
Term Start1:23 March 2019
Term End1:10 June 2024
Appointer1:Ram Nath Kovind
Predecessor1:Position Established
Birth Date:1955 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Cuttack, Odisha, India
Father:Jugal Kishore Mohanty
Spouse:Kalpana Mohanty
Alma Mater:Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack

Pradip Kumar Mohanty (born 10 June 1955) is an Indian attorney and Jurist currently serving as a Judicial Member of Lokpal Committee since 23 March 2019.[1] He retired from the post on 23 March 2024. He is former Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.

Early life and family

Mohanty was born at Cuttack in a Lawyers family. His father, Late Jugal Kishore Mohanty was the Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court and maternal grandfather, Late Rajkishore Das was also a Judge of Orissa High Court. Mohanty studied in the Ravenshaw Collegiate School of Cuttack and graduated from the Ravenshaw College in 1974. He passed Law from Madhusudan Law College of Cuttack.[2]

Career

Mohanty started practice in the Constitutional, Criminal and Civil matters in the Orissa High Court. He was elected as the Secretary of the Orissa High Court Bar Association. He appeared on behalf of various Municipalities and also became the Additional Government Advocate in the High Court. Mohanty was the Special Public Prosecutor in Graham Staines murder case. On 7 March 2002 he was appointed an Additional Judge of the Orissa High Court and thereafter became the Permanent Judge in 2004. He also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the court several times. Mohanty was nominated as Chairman of NSA Advisory Board constituted under National Security Act, 1980. On 7 October 2016 he was transferred to the Jharkhand High Court as Acting Chief Justice. On 24 March 2017, he became the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.[3] [4] Justice Mohanty retired on 9 June 2017 from the post.[5]

He was appointed Judicial Member of Lokpal Committee on 23 March 2019 along with 3 other Judicial members and served till 23 March 2024. On 28 May 2022, he was appointed as the acting Chairperson of the Lokpal after the superannuation of the first Lokpal chairperson Pinaki Chandra Ghose and served their till 26 February 2024.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lokpal: Meet the men and women who will probe corruption. qrius.com. 2019-03-29.
  2. Web site: Hon'ble The Chief Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty. 27 November 2018.
  3. Web site: Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty appointed as Chief Justice of Jharkhand HC. 27 November 2018.
  4. News: Justice P K Mohanty takes charge as JHC CJ. Saran. Bedanti. 25 March 2017. Hindustan Times. 5 May 2019.
  5. Web site: Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty becomes CJ of Jharkhand HC. outlookindia.com. 27 November 2018.
  6. News: Justice Mohanty gets additional charge of Lokpal chairperson . 9 June 2022 . Hindustan Times . 28 May 2022 . en.