India’s justice system is under siege—not just by criminals and terrorists but by a disturbing alliance of rogue NGOs and self-serving elite lawyers who exploit the system for personal gain and dubious agendas. A landmark judgment by Special Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi (VS Tripathi) of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has sounded the alarm. This is not just another case; it’s a wake-up call. On January 3, 2025, Judge Tripathi convicted 28 individuals for the brutal murder of Abhishek Gupta (Chandan) during a Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj on January 26, 2018. These perpetrators, from the Muslim community, were sentenced to life imprisonment, with only two acquitted due to lack of evidence. Justice was served—but this case transcends the courtroom. Judge Tripathi’s judgment exposes an uncomfortable truth: certain NGOs and high-profile lawyers are undermining national security under the guise of defending human rights. He formally alerted the Union Home Ministry and the Bar Council of India, urging a crackdown on these entities. Among the organizations named are Citizens for Justice and Peace (Mumbai), People’s Union for Civil Liberties (Delhi), Rihaee Manch, and several international groups like the Alliance for Justice and Accountability (New York), Indian American Muslim Council (Washington DC), and South Asia Solidarity Group (London).
These NGOs often spring into action whenever terrorists or hardened criminals face justice, raising funds, rallying prominent lawyers, and turning trials into media spectacles. Judge Tripathi’s call for investigating their funding sources and motives is not just timely but critical. It is high time the government scrutinizes these entities, exposes their agendas, and cuts off foreign or illicit funding streams. The judgment also lays bare the opaque practices of India’s legal elite. Judge Tripathi rightly suggested that High Court and Supreme Court lawyers disclose their income, fees, and tax records—a move long overdue. Legal fees should be paid transparently, through cheques, and lawyers should declare their assets and liabilities. How do impoverished Rohingya petitioners or controversial activists afford a battery of elite lawyers like Dr. Rajiv Dhawan, Prashant Bhushan, and Kapil Sibal? The math doesn’t add up, and the public deserves answers. Consider Ashwini Upadhyay’s 2017 petition to expel Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants, which remains stalled. Or cases challenging the Places of Worship Act and religious conversions—dragged on endlessly by top legal professionals. Meanwhile, NGOs like Social Jurist pursue dubious cases, such as a rejected plea to admit Rohingya children into Indian schools, only to escalate them to the Supreme Court. Such actions raise serious questions about their funding and objectives. Judge Tripathi’s judgment is a clarion call for accountability in India’s legal and advocacy sectors. Rogue NGOs and greedy lawyers are no longer fringe problems; they are existential threats to national security and justice. The government must act decisively, investigating, regulating, and holding these actors accountable. Human rights cannot be a shield for subverting justice or endangering the nation. The time for complacency is over. Ban rogue NGOs. Expose greedy lawyers. Save India’s justice system before it’s too late.