Supreme Court judge Justice J S Khehar writes to CJI R M Lodha offering to recuse himself from hearing the Sahara case, says a court official. the CJI constitutes another bench to hear the matter relating to Sahara Group, says the official.

Matters came to a head on May 6, when the Supreme Court bench of Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar pronounced its 207-page judgment turning down the bail plea of Sahara group chief Subrata Roy and its two directors, who are in jail since March 4 for failing to refund investors money.

The same evening, Justice Khehar sent a note to the Supreme Court Registry directing it not to include him in any new bench the bench would have to be recast due to Justice Radhakrishnans retirement on Thursday constituted to hear the Sahara case.

The Indian Express reports that Justice Khehars decision to opt out of the case assumes significance in view of the public statement by his colleague on the bench, Justice Radhakrishnan, last week that he faced pressure, tension and strain while hearing the Sahara matter.