Supreme Court rejects Haryana Additional Sessions Judge’s petition on compulsory retirement

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 3

The Supreme Court has rejected a Haryana Additional Sessions Judge’s petition challenging a Full Court decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court recommending his compulsory retirement from service with immediate effect for multiple unexplained bank transactions that went against judicial ethics.

“Considering the facts and circumstances on record and in view of the record indicating that there were multiple transactions showing deposits and withdrawals of substantial amounts of money, it cannot be said that the Full Court was not justified in taking the view that it did. We do not find any reason to take a different view in the matter,” a Bench led by Justice UU Lalit said in an order on Monday.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajinder Goel had challenged the December 14, 2020 recommendation of the Full Court of the Punjab and Haryana High Court recommending his compulsory retirement and the consequential order dated January 5 of the Haryana Governor accepting the Full Court’s recommendation.

The Bench had advised Goel to approach the High Court first but his counsel said he wanted to pursue his remedies before the top court. Later, he changed his mind but the Bench refused to allow him to go back to the High Court, saying it had already reserved the judgment.

The petitioner joined Haryana Judicial Services on February 16, 1996 and was promoted in 2008 to the Haryana Superior Judicial Services. Pursuant to certain complaints made against him, including one made by the Bar Association, an inquiry was conducted.