No relief for Indore judge accused of preparing acquittal judgment before case ended

4 min readBhopalJul 8, 2026 05:40 AM IST

A Division Bench of Justices Anand Pathak and B P Sharma dismissed the petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, challenging the legality of the chargesheet dated December 19, 2025, issued by the High Court.

Observing that public confidence in the judiciary “constitutes one of the foundational pillars of the constitutional system”, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has refused to quash departmental proceedings initiated against a Civil Judge accused of preparing an acquittal judgment in a criminal case that had not been legally concluded.

The petitioner, who was serving as a Civil Judge, Senior Division, in Indore, had sought quashing of the disciplinary proceedings on the grounds that they had been initiated while a criminal prosecution arising from the same set of facts was still pending. He also argued that the chargesheet had been issued after an unexplained delay of nearly five years, causing serious prejudice to his defence.

A Division Bench of Justices Anand Pathak and B P Sharma dismissed the petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, challenging the legality of the chargesheet dated December 19, 2025, issued by the High Court.

The disciplinary proceedings stem from allegations relating to a 2019 criminal trial in which the civil judge was accused of giving undue benefit to an IAS officer, whose IAS award was held up due to the pendency of a criminal case. According to the High Court’s administrative inquiry, an acquittal judgment dated October 6, 2020, was allegedly prepared and brought into existence even though the criminal case had not been legally disposed of. The allegations further suggest that the act was carried out as part of a conspiracy to confer an undue advantage upon the accused.

Following a vigilance inquiry and examination of the material collected, the disciplinary authority placed the petitioner under suspension before issuing the impugned chargesheet, initiating a regular departmental inquiry.

‘Allegations of gravest nature’

Rejecting the challenge based on delay, the Bench held that the nature of the allegations justified a detailed vigilance examination before disciplinary proceedings could be commenced.

“The allegations levelled against the petitioner concern preparation of an acquittal judgment of an accused person despite the criminal case not having been lawfully concluded. Such allegations are of the gravest nature and concern the integrity of the judicial institution itself,” the court observed.

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It further noted that cases involving members of the judicial service necessarily require “detailed vigilance scrutiny and careful examination” before disciplinary action is initiated.

The judgment also said, “The petitioner has not demonstrated any specific prejudice resulting from the alleged delay. A mere assertion that the defence has been prejudiced cannot be accepted in the absence of any material particulars.”

On the principal argument that departmental proceedings should await the outcome of the criminal case, the court reaffirmed the settled legal position that disciplinary proceedings and criminal trials operate in distinct fields and serve different purposes.

‘Public confidence…’

Emphasising the special responsibilities attached to judicial office, the Bench observed that maintaining public confidence in the justice delivery system assumes paramount importance.

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“Public confidence in the judiciary constitutes one of the foundational pillars of the constitutional system. The disciplinary authority is under an obligation to ascertain whether the conduct of a judicial officer conforms to the standards of integrity and propriety expected from the office held by him,” the court observed.

The court added that such an inquiry “cannot be indefinitely postponed awaiting conclusion of criminal proceedings, the duration of which remains uncertain”.

Addressing the contention that the charges were vague, the Division Bench held that the chargesheet contained specific articles of charge supported by statements of imputations, witnesses and documentary evidence.

“The facts of the present case disclose specific articles of charge supported by statement of imputations, witnesses and documentary material. The charges cannot be described as vague or indefinite. Whether they are ultimately proved or disproved is a matter to be adjudicated during the disciplinary inquiry,” the Bench observed.

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Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.

Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.

Expertise and Reporting Beats

Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:

National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.

Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).

Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.

Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.

Professional Background

Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.

Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.

Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.

Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.

Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.

Digital & Professional Presence

Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express

Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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