Delhi high court judge, later Manipur CJ, had LPG agency during tenure

Justice Siddharth Mridul ran an LPG distributorship called 'Kitchen Flame' during his tenure as a Delhi High Court judge and later as Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.

The distributorship agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited was renewed multiple times while he held judicial office, including in 2010, 2015, 2025, and 2024.

BPCL issued a notice to Justice Mridul on May 29, 2026, citing a public grievance complaint alleging he operated the agency while serving as a judge.

The agency dealership was eventually suspended by BPCL following the controversy.

Operating a business with a PSU during judicial service appears to violate judicial ethics codes requiring avoidance of pecuniary or contractual links with government entities.