'Excruciatingly Deep Void': Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta Dedicates Sambhal Violence Judgment To Late Law Clerk Ritwik Deswal

New Delhi: Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta on Tuesday opened a judgment with a personal tribute to his late Law Clerk-cum-Research Associate, Ritwik Deswal, dedicating the judgment to his memory and acknowledging his contribution to its preparation.

A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu delivered the judgment in a matter concerning a challenge to preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the Sambhal violence case.

The judgment, pronounced in Court 6 of the Supreme Court on September 29, began with the heading “In Memoriam”, marking an unusual and deeply personal opening to a judicial decision.

"Even in his final hours, his thoughts remained firmly anchored in the pursuit of truth and the service of justice. It is therefore with profound personal sorrow and grief that we dedicate this final collaboration to his memory, his integrity, his indomitable commitment to the law, his love for academia, and his other great qualities of head and heart," he said as reported by Bar and Bench.

Justice Datta Remembers Late Law Clerk

At the outset of the judgment, Justice Datta reflected on the fragility of human life and said people often fail to recognise how fleeting life can be until confronted with its uncertainty.

According to report in Live Law, Remembering Deswal, Justice Datta said he was one of the bench’s “dearest Law Clerk-cum-Research Associates” and noted that he passed away four days short of his 27th birthday, which fell on the day the judgment was pronounced.

The judge said the judgment carried the “quiet and indelible imprint” of Deswal’s final work and recorded the bench’s appreciation for the research assistance he provided during the preparation of the decision.

Justice Datta said Deswal’s untimely death had left an “excruciatingly deep void” and noted that even in his final hours, his thoughts remained focused on the pursuit of truth and service of justice.

'Final Collaboration' Dedicated To Deswal's Memory

Dedicating the judgment to Deswal, Justice Datta remembered his integrity, commitment to the law and love for academia, along with his other qualities.

“It is therefore with profound personal sorrow and grief that we dedicate this final collaboration to his memory,” the judgment stated, as quoted by Live Law.

The bench also acknowledged the contribution Deswal made to the judgment through his research work before his death. The tribute formed the opening of the judgment before the Court proceeded to deal with the legal challenge before it.

Supreme Court Quashes NSA Detention

The bench was hearing a petition challenging the detention of an accused under the National Security Act in connection with the Sambhal violence case.

After examining the matter, the Supreme Court held the detention to be illegal and quashed the detention order. The Court also imposed costs of ₹10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government.

The judgment thus combined the adjudication of the detention challenge with a personal tribute from Justice Datta to a young member of his legal research team whose work had contributed to the preparation of the decision.