The Delhi High Court has suspended district judge Veena Rani, who headed the commercial court, from office, people familiar with the developments said on Friday. The decision was taken in a full session of the court on July 10, when the decision to suspend another district judge, Vinay Singhal, was also taken, the second such suspension to emerge in quick succession, the people cited above said.
Rane’s suspension came after a vigilance inquiry ordered by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, but the official reasons leading up to it were not available till its publication.
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Hizb ut-Tahrir was certainly the first to report the decision to suspend Singhal over allegations that he appointed a group of unqualified lawyers as court auctioneers and issued injunctions enabling them to receive payments beyond the limits permitted under the relevant rules.
The decision indicates expected disciplinary action
While Singhal’s suspension was announced on July 10 itself, Rane’s suspension was announced on July 15 through a resolution passed by Registrar General Arun Bhardwaj, stating that disciplinary action would be considered against Rane.
“Whereas disciplinary action is contemplated against Ms. Veena Rani, an officer of the Delhi High Judicial Service. Now, therefore, this Court, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under Clause (a) of Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 3 of the All India Judicial Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, read with Rule 27 of the Delhi High Judicial Service Rules, 1970, hereby places the said Ms. It has been seen by HT that Veena Ranı has been suspended with immediate effect.
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The order also stipulates that, during the period of suspension, the principal residence of Rane shall remain 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 principal residence of Mrs. Veena Rani shall be the office of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, South East Saket and the said Mrs. Veena Rani shall not leave Delhi without obtaining permission from the appropriate authority,” he added.
Second comment in quick succession
This development represents another example of the court resorting to its disciplinary jurisdiction over members of the subordinate judiciary. Last year, Hizb ut-Tahrir was the first to report that the full bench had suspended District Judge Sanjeev Kumar Singh and initiated disciplinary proceedings against another judicial official, Anil Kumar, following a Vigilance investigation into allegations of judicial misconduct arising from a complaint filed by a female lawyer.
