Delhi HC suspends second district judge in week

The Delhi High Court has suspended district judge Veena Rani, who presided over the commercial court, people aware of the developments said on Friday

The Delhi High Court has suspended district judge Veena Rani, who presided over the commercial court, people aware of the developments said on Friday. The decision was taken in a full court meeting on July 10, when the decision to suspend another district judge, Vinay Singhal, was also taken, marking the second such suspension in quick succession, people cited above said.

District judge Veena Rani, who presided over the commercial court, was suspended over allegations that she accepted money in exchange for passing favourable judicial orders, people aware of the developments said on Friday. (Representative photo)

Rani’s suspension came after a a vigilance inquiry ordered by high court chief justice DK Upadhyaya but the official reasons that triggered it were not available as of going to print.

To be sure, HT was the first to report on the decision to suspend Singhal over the allegations that he appointed a group of ineligible advocates as court auctioneers and passed judicial orders enabling them to receive payments beyond permissible limits under the relevant rules.

While Singhal’s suspension was made public on July 10 itself, Rani’s suspension was made public on July 15 through a resolution issued by registrar general Arun Bhardwaj, stating that disciplinary proceedings against Rani were contemplated.

“Whereas a disciplinary proceeding against Ms. Veena Rani, an officer of Delhi Higher Judicial Service is comtemplated. Now, therefore, this Court in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-rule (1) of Rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 read with Rule 27 of Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, hereby places the said Ms. Veena Ranı under suspension with immediate effect,” the resolution, seen by HT, said.

The resolution further directed that, during the period of suspension, Rani’s headquarters shall remain the office of the principal district and sessions judge (headquarters), Saket Courts, Delhi.

“It is further ordered that during the period that this order shall remain in force, the headquarters of Ms. Veena Rani shall be the office of Principal District & Sessions Judge, South East, Saket and the said Ms. Veena Rani shall not leave Delhi without obtaining the pr permission of the competent authority. It is also ordered that during the period of suspension, Ms. Veena Rani will be subsistence and other allowances as admissible under the relevant rules,” it added.

The development marks yet another instance of the court invoking its disciplinary jurisdiction over members of the subordinate judiciary. Last year, HT was the first to report that the full court suspended district judge Sanjeev Kumar Singh and initiated disciplinary proceedings against another judicial officer, Anil Kumar, following a vigilance inquiry into allegations of judicial misconduct arising from a complaint by a woman lawyer.