A controversy has arisen at the Madras High Court following allegations by the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), Tirunelveli chapter, that its name was wrongly used in a fake complaint accusing a senior advocate of taking Rs 50 lakh to bribe a judge. AILAJ’s State Coordinator, U. Adhiyaman, denied sending any such communication to Justice M. Nirmal Kumar, emphasizing that the association had no involvement in the alleged complaint. The association learned about the purported letter only through newspaper reports dated February 15, 2026.
AILAJ clarified that its Tamil Nadu State chapter is located in Tirunelveli, not at Thambu Chetty Street in Chennai as indicated in the fake letterhead. Additionally, the association pointed out that it does not have a “Secretary” position as mentioned in the forged document, functioning solely through State Coordinators. Describing the incident as a deliberate attempt to tarnish its reputation, AILAJ announced plans to file a police complaint over the unauthorized use of its name and urged the Registrar General to take appropriate action.
The situation unfolded when Justice Nirmal Kumar received a letter dated January 12, 2026, purportedly from AILAJ, alleging that a senior advocate had accepted Rs 50 lakh from two litigants to influence rulings in two related cases. The letter urged the judge to take necessary action in response. Copies of the letter were sent to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice and the CBI headquarters in New Delhi. The Ministry forwarded the complaint to the High Court Registry, which subsequently presented it to Justice Kumar.
The accused senior advocate refuted the accusations and expressed readiness to cooperate with any investigation. The CBI’s Special Public Prosecutor, K. Srinivasan, advocated for stringent measures against those responsible for the false claims. Following these developments, Justice Kumar recused himself from the cases and ordered a vigilance inquiry into the matter.
