SC judge Justice M M Shantanagoudar passes away

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar died at a private hospital in Gurgaon, sources said on Sunday. He was 62.

The mortal remains of the judge will be taken to his Rajaji Nagar residence in Bengaluru, where last rites will be conducted.

Justice Shantanagoudar was admitted to the Medanta Hospital due to a lung infection and was in the ICU. His condition was stated to be stable till late Saturday evening, but deteriorated later, sources said.

In a statement on Sunday, the apex court said: “It is, with profound grief, circulated for information that Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar, Judge, Supreme Court of India left for heavenly abode in the late evening of yesterday. The cremation will take place today i.e. 25th April, 2021 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.”

The statement, issued by Assistant Registrar Gagan Soni, has asked the secretaries to apprise about the demise and the last rites of Justice Shantanagoudar to all the apex court judges.

Justice Shantanagoudar was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on February 17, 2017. He would have remained in office till May 5, 2023.

He was born on May, 5, 1958, in Karnataka and got himself enrolled as an advocate on September 5, 1980. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court on May 12, 2003, and became a permanent judge in the court in September 2004.

Later, Justice Shantanagoudar was transferred to the Kerala High Court, where he assumed charge as the acting chief justice on August 1, 2016.

He became the chief justice of the Kerala High Court on September 22, 2016, before being elevated as an apex court judge.