Former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde on Tuesday, August 31, visited the birthplace of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Mahal area in Nagpur. Bobde, who is from Nagpur, has been living in the city after retiring as Chief Justice in April 2021. He visited the house in which Hedgewar (1889-1940) was born to see how it was being restored, said a Sangh functionary. Indian Express reported that he also met RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. However, though RSS officials have denied this, sources told Indian Express that the former CJI met Bhagwat around 4 pm on Tuesday at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. 

Nagpur Today reported that the former Chief Justice had visited the house where Hedgewar was born to see the progress of the restoration work of the residence. Justice Bobde, who was the 47th Chief Justice of India, heard and delivered verdicts in several key cases during his tenure including the historic Ayodhya verdict. 

The former CJI’s visit has made news as Ranjan Gogoi, who was the Chief Justice of India before him, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP shortly after he retired. CJI Bobde retired as the Chief Justice of India on April 23, 2021 and has been shuttling between Nagpur and Delhi post retirement.

Born on April 24, 1956 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Justice Bobde completed Bachelor of Arts and LLB degrees from Nagpur University. He was enrolled as an advocate of the Bar Council of Maharashtra in 1978.

Justice Bobde practised law at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court with appearances at Bombay before the Principal Seat and before the Supreme Court for over 21 years. He was designated as senior advocate in 1998. Justice Bobde was elevated to the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000, as Additional Judge and sworn in as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on October 16, 2012. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on April 12, 2013.

With PTI inputs