High court upholds decision to compulsorily retire Hry judge

Observes that the conclusions drawn by the disciplinary authority were based on material produced on the file

- HT Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has upheld its decision taken on the administrative side to compulsorily retire a Haryana district and sessions judge. The high court dismissed the plea from Ved Pal Gupta, filed in 2021, wherein he had challenged a charge sheet issued against him for acquiring properties more than his known sources of income, a recommendation of the disciplinary committee and a full court decision of compulsorily retire him.

Gupta was appointed as HCS (judicial) officer on September 30, 1987, and went on to become district and sessions judge. In February 2011, inquiry was initiated against him regarding the immovable properties acquired by him. In 2012, he was issued a charge sheet. His case was probed by a high court judge and in 2017, the disciplinary committee of the HC judge indicted him in his report. Based on the report a decision was taken by the full court of HC to compulsorily retire him.

He challenged the same in 2021, arguing that properties were acquired after obtaining permission from the high court and various other counts.