New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) The Punjab and Haryana High Court has placed Rajeev Goyal, the then Special Judge of the CBI Court in Panchkula, under suspension with immediate effect in contemplation of disciplinary proceedings against him.

The suspension order, issued by the High Court on May 29, said the decision was taken by the Chief Justice and Judges in exercise of powers under Article 235 of the Constitution read with Rule 4(b) of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 2016.

“Hon’ble the Chief Justice and Judges… have been pleased to place Sh. Rajeev Goyal, the then Special Judge, CBI Court, Panchkula (now posted as Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kaithal) under suspension with immediate effect in contemplation of initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the Officer,” the order stated.

During the period of suspension, Goyal’s headquarters will remain at Kaithal, and he has been directed not to leave the headquarters without prior permission of the District and Sessions Judge, Kaithal.

The order further stated that he would be entitled to subsistence allowance in accordance with the Haryana Civil Services (General) Rules, 2016.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court order, however, did not disclose the nature of the allegations or the grounds on which disciplinary proceedings are proposed to be initiated against the judicial officer.

The development assumes significance as Goyal’s predecessor at the Panchkula CBI Court, suspended judge Sudhir Parmar, had also faced serious corruption allegations that triggered a high-profile probe by the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Last week, Goyal, while serving as Additional Sessions Judge at Panchkula, discharged Sudhir Parmar, his nephew Ajay Parmar, and three representatives of real estate firms in the corruption case registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sudhir Parmar was placed under suspension by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in April 2023 following ACB raids at his residence in connection with an alleged bribery case.

The ED subsequently chargesheeted Sudhir Parmar in 2024 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged bribery racket. The federal anti-money laundering agency had filed its main prosecution complaint in August 2023 and a supplementary complaint in October 2023 against 10 accused persons, including the suspended judge.

According to the ED, its investigation stemmed from an FIR registered by the Haryana ACB and sought to trace the alleged proceeds of crime generated through bribery. The Central agency alleged that illegal gratification received by Sudhir Parmar was routed into bank accounts of his relatives.

The ED claimed that Sudhir Parmar had received undue benefits amounting to around Rs 7 crore from promoters of the IREO and M3M groups in exchange for extending favours to them in judicial proceedings. The alleged gratification was said to have been delivered through cash payments as well as loans transferred into the accounts of his relatives without supporting documentation.

–IANS

pds/dpb