Former CJI Altamas Kabir passes away at 68

Kabir was appointed as the 39th Chief Justice of India on September 29, 2012, and he served till July 19, 2013.

By: News Desk |
February 19, 2017 5:25 pm

In a shocking incident, former Chief Justice of India, Altamas Kabir passed away on February 19 at Apollo Glen eagles Hospitals, Kolkata. He was 68 years old and was suffering from End Stage Renal Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Artery Disease & Urinary TB.

Earlier this day, it was reported through several sources that he was in a critical condition and is undergoing a treatment for a kidney-related ailment in a hospital in Kolkata.

News agency PTI quoted former Supreme Court judge Ashok Ganguly as saying,”He is on a life support system since his condition is very critical”. Ganguly, was present at the hospital where Kabir is admitted.

Former Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir passed away at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals Kolkata, at 2:52 PM today

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 19, 2017

Frmer Chief Justice Altamas Kabir was suffering from End Stage Renal Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Artery Disease & Urinary TB pic.twitter.com/no4SDBTlxv

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 19, 2017

Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee also expressed her condolences to the departed former CJI through her twitter handle and wrote,”Condolences on passing of fmr CJ Altamas Kabir.My thoughts with his family/colleagues. India&Bengal lost a legal luminary.”

Condolences on the passing of fmr CJ Altamas Kabir ji. My thoughts with his family/colleagues. India & Bengal have lost a legal luminary

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 19, 2017

Earlier, there were reports of him passing away but news agency ANI clarified that Kabir is on the life support system. However, later in the evening, the news was confirmed from the hospital that he has passed away.

Kabir was part of the bench that heard the case of two Italian Marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who allegedly killed two Indian fishermen in 2012.

Kabir, started his career in Kolkata as a lawyer in the year 1973 after completing his LLB and MA degree from Calcutta University. He practised both in the district and the High court of Kolkata. On August 6, 1990, he was appointed as the permanent judge of Calcutta High Court and on January 11, 2005, Kabir was made acting chief justice of the Calcutta High Court. Before taking up the position of CJI, he also held the post of the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court.