Rumors of corrupt judges accepting money from litigants abound, yet, more often than not, these are dismissed as just that for want of proof.

True, there are quite a number of upright judges doing their jobs steadfastly, but a recent incident at a district court in Weifang, Shandong province has come as a shock. Thanks to video clips released by a litigant recently, the judiciary has been put in a spot. The rumors have now emerged from the shadows.

One clip shows a judge of the court seeking "sponsorship" fee or "case-handling expenses" from the litigant, a businesswoman from Hubei province. In the other, four judges are shown returning the money at the home of the litigant and pleading for leniency after the woman mailed the clips to the judges.

The angry businesswoman made the videos public after the judges refused to compensate her for "emotional anguish".

The issue has caused uproar nationwide. Local authorities, however, appear anxious to seal the case. The judges have been let off with just "stern warnings", nothing more.

Judicial probity is paramount, and corrupt judges need to be punished severely as per existing rules.

If rumors are to be believed, another disturbing case is now making the rounds, indicating that this was not an "isolated individual case". Allegedly, another judge at the same court has received 300,000 yuan from another litigant.

If proved, the case may just be an eye-opener. Still, we hope that such rumors will be stilled by an amended system that upholds uprightness as well as justice.