An Additional District Judge in Kerala has been suspended by the High Court Judges Committee following allegations of sexual assault by a court staff member. The committee stated that the incident damages the reputation of the judicial system. The suspension ensures a fair investigation into the matter. Authorities are committed to addressing such misconduct with strict action.
Kerala: M. Suhaib, an additional district judge in Kozhikode, has been suspended following allegations of misconduct involving a female court employee in his official chamber. The suspension confirmed through an order from the district judiciary registrar of the Kerala High Court, pending further investigation.
Suhaib is required to transfer his duties to V.G. Biju, the additional district judge in Vadakara.
The high court’s administrative committee, led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, held an emergency meeting to discuss the serious allegations, noting,
“The incident undermined the credibility of the state’s judicial institution.”
The allegations pertain to Suhaib misbehaving with a female employee, leading to protests from court staff on Saturday.
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In response, the principal district judge of Kozhikode summoned both Suhaib and the complainant, during which Suhaib offered an oral apology.
On the same day, Suhaib was transferred to the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Vadakara. Following the incident, the administrative committee requested a detailed report from the principal district judge, which included the woman’s oral account of the alleged misconduct.
However, she opted not to file a formal complaint or provide a written statement, potentially complicating any legal action that could follow. Given the seriousness of the situation and its impact on the judiciary’s reputation, the committee has issued a show cause notice to Suhaib, asking him to explain why disciplinary measures should not be taken against him.
The situation intensified when about seventy members of the Women’s Collective and forty male employees gathered outside the district judge’s chamber. The group stood together, demanding justice and accountability for the complainant.
At first, the district judge refused to meet them, but he later listened to the complainant. The accused officer was called into the chamber, where another senior judicial officer acted as a witness. Sources confirmed that the accused admitted his wrongdoing in their presence.
Following this, the officer apologized to the complainant and her supporters in the chamber for his misconduct.
Meanwhile, local police arrived, mistakenly thinking it was a protest. The police intelligence team also addressed the gathering, showing how serious the situation had become.
The authorities acted quickly and suspended the judge to ensure a fair investigation.
The Administrative Committee, which includes the Chief Justice and three other senior judges from the High Court, made the decision based on reports provided by the Principal District Judge of Kozhikode concerning the incident.