OP Saini (CBI Judge)

Some Lesser Known Facts About OP Saini

• Saini was born into a humble middle-class Haryanvi family.

• He started his career as a Delhi Police sub-inspector in 1981.

• After serving in the Delhi Police for around 6 years, he appeared for the judicial magistrate examination and cleared it with distinction.

• He shot into fame with his brave judgment made headlines, when he took up the 200 Red Fort shootout case after two judges refused to handle this case. He gave the death penalty to the mani accused Mohammad Arif and gave life imprisonment to 6 others.

• In 2011, after the Supreme Court asked the Delhi Government to set up a special court to hear 2G cases, Saini was picked as the judge. 

• Despite getting a clean chit, he used his special powers under Section 319 of the CrPC, to summon 3 accused – Sunil Mittal of Bharti Airtel, Asim Ghosh of Hutchison Max and Ravi Ruia of Sterling Cellular – in the 2G case.

• In November 2011, the bail of M. Karunanidhi was on the cards, but he shocked everyone by rejecting her bail saying she was an influential politician which could intimidate the witnesses.

• He rejected Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal’s appeal, for exemption from appearing before the court on “cognitive and behavioral abnormities” grounds, as she is a prosecution witness in 2G.

• He holds the reputation of a soft-spoken but a brave and balanced judge; be it a corporate biggie on trial or a petty thief, his judgments have been in favour of justice.