The Delhi High Court has suspended district judge Veena Rani, who was presiding over the commercial court, people aware of the developments said on Friday. The decision was taken at a full court meeting on July 10, when the decision was also taken to suspend another district judge, Vinay Singhal, marking the second such suspension to come in quick succession, the people cited above said.
Rani’s suspension came after a vigilance probe ordered by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, but the official reasons that triggered it were not available at the time of going to press.
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No doubt, HT was the first to report the decision to suspend Singhal over allegations that he appointed a group of ineligible lawyers as judicial auctioneers and passed court orders allowing them to receive payments beyond the limits permissible under relevant rules.
Resolution citing disciplinary file contemplated
While Singhal’s suspension was made public on July 10, 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 disciplinary proceedings are being contemplated against Ms. Veena Rani, an officer of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service. 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 the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, by The said Ms. Veena Ranı is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect,” reads the resolution, seen by HT.
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The resolution further ordered that during the period of suspension, Rani’s seat will continue to be the office of the Principal District and Sessions Judge (Headquarters), Saket Courts, Delhi. “It is further ordered that during the period during which this order remains in force, the seat of Ms. Veena Rani shall be the office of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, South East, Saket and the said Ms. Veena Rani shall not leave Delhi without obtaining permission from the competent authority,” it added.
Second suspension in quick succession
This development marks yet another case 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 probe into allegations of judicial misconduct arising from a complaint filed by a woman lawyer.
