Lokpal member Justice (retired) Ajay Kumar Tripathi, who tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19, died on Saturday at the AIIMS Trauma Centre in Delhi. Tripathi (62) breathed his last around 9 pm.
He had been undergoing treatment in the AIIMS Trauma Centre, which has been converted into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, since the first week of April. "He was very sick. He was in the ICU and on ventilator for last three days," news agency PTI said quoting sources.
A former chief justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, he was mainly associated with the Patna High Court. Tripathi was one of the four judicial members of the anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal.
Born on November 1, 1957, Justice Tripathi graduated in Economics with Honours from Shri Ram College of Commerce and studied Law from Campus Law Center, Delhi University. He started his practice in 1981 at Patna High Court in Service, Constitutional, Taxation, Excise and commercial litigations.
He was the Standing Counsel for the Union of India and the Income Tax Department. He served as Additional Advocate General for the State of Bihar. On October 9, 2006, he was elevated as an Additional Judge of Patna High Court and became a Permanent Judge w.e.f. November 21, 2007. He was the Executive Chairman of Bihar State Legal Services Authority. Before taking over of this assignment, he was sitting Chief Justice of Chattisgarh High Court. He has been appointed as Hon'ble Judicial Member, Lokpal on March 27, 2019.
