Chennai:Former Madras High Court judge and Senior Advocate Justice V Sivagnanam has remained untraceable in Nepal since flash floods and landslides struck the country on August 26. The Delhi Tamil Advocates Association has urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to intervene and help trace him safely.
Justice Sivagnanam was travelling with a group of Tamil pilgrims when the disaster struck. According to the association’s letter to the CJI, he last spoke to his wife over WhatsApp in the early hours of August 26. There has been no communication from him since then.
His bus was reportedly nearby
The association said people travelling in another bus were rescued near the Armed Police Force Nepal Border Outpost at Timure. They reportedly informed the family that Justice Sivagnanam’s bus was only around 100–200 metres away from theirs when the disaster occurred.
The information has heightened concerns about his safety and whereabouts as rescue teams continue searching areas affected by the devastating floods and landslides.
The bar association has requested the CJI to forward its appeal to the Government of India and other concerned authorities and to take all possible steps to locate the retired judge, ascertain his safety and facilitate his return to India.
Legal community awaits news
Justice Sivagnanam served in the judiciary for nearly 34 years. Following his retirement from the Madras High Court, he was designated a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court with effect from July 2025.
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His disappearance comes amid a wider crisis in Nepal, where hundreds have died and thousands remain missing following the catastrophic floods. Search and rescue operations continue under difficult conditions.