Justice DV Ramana Alleges Harassment Behind Transfer from Andhra Pradesh
Justice Duppala Venkata Ramana has made serious allegations, claiming that his transfer from the Andhra Pradesh High Court to the Madhya Pradesh High Court was carried out with the deliberate intention of harassing him. Speaking at his farewell event held at the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday, he expressed deep anguish over the transfer, which he alleged was unjust and carried out with malice.
“I was transferred from my home state with the clear intention of causing me distress. I am content that I satisfied their ego. They too have now retired. God neither forgives nor forgets—retribution will follow in another form,” said Justice Duppala Venkata Ramana in a strongly worded statement.
He recalled his transfer in 2023 from the Andhra Pradesh High Court to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He revealed that he had requested the Supreme Court Collegium to consider a transfer to Karnataka instead, citing the serious neurological condition (Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures - PNES) affecting his wife, for which she was receiving treatment at NIMHANS in Bengaluru. “During the transfer process, I was asked for my preferences. I selected Karnataka as it would allow my wife to receive better care at NIMHANS. However, the Collegium did not take my request into consideration,” he said.
Justice Duppala Venkata Ramana further stated that he had submitted formal requests to this effect on July 19 and August 28, 2023, but received no response. “A judge like me would expect a humanitarian and sympathetic review. Instead, I was left in deep despair and distress,” he added.
He also addressed the perception that the transfer was meant to demoralize him. “Some expected the transfer would break me, but it didn’t. The affection and support I received in Madhya Pradesh turned that curse into a blessing,” said Justice Ramana. He expressed gratitude for the immense respect and cooperation shown by fellow judges and lawyers in Jabalpur and Indore. He noted with pride that he had the opportunity to serve with distinction in both Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and felt privileged to have worked in the riverine regions of Amaravati, Krishna, Godavari, and Narmada.
Justice Duppala Venkata Ramana was appointed as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on August 4, 2022. Prior to that, he had served in various judicial capacities since 2007. His transfer to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2023 followed a recommendation by a Supreme Court Collegium comprising then Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, and Surya Kant. The Collegium reportedly rejected his Karnataka transfer request, stating, “We have examined the requests made by Justice Duppala Venkata Ramana. The Collegium finds no merit in his representation.”
Justice Ramana reflected on his journey from a remote village in Srikakulam district to becoming a High Court judge. He expressed gratitude to all who supported his rise. “I can place my hand on my heart and say I have remained true to my oath. I believed in delivering justice to the most marginalized sections of society,” he said. Concluding his speech, he cited the words of Gurajada Apparao: “A nation is not made of land—it is made of its people,” affirming his enduring belief in that principle.