Pension plea of ex-judge accused of consuming liquor dismissed

Mumbai, Feb 24 (PTI) Refusing to show any leniency to aformer civil judge, the Bombay High Court today dismissed hispetition seeking pension benefits after his termination forallegedly misbehaving with a lady advocate after consumingalcohol at a lawyer''s party.

The former judge from Malegaon, now 75 years old, hadapproached the court seeking pension benefits that werewithheld after he was asked to avail the voluntary retirementscheme in 1996.

A departmental inquiry was initiated in 1995-96 againstthe judge following complaints that he had in 1992 attended aparty hosted by advocate D U Shivale of the Malegaon bar athis farm house and had consumed liquor and tried to misbehavewith a lady advocate.

"Why should you (petitioner) attend a party thrown byan advocate and consume liquor? You were a judicial officer.

Is this a conduct of a judicial officer?" a division bench ofJustices D K Deshmukh and K K Tated questioned.

The other allegation that the former judge had tried tomisbehave with a lady advocate was revealed by the ladyherself in her statement before the inquiry officer.

The former judge, arguing in person before the HighCourt, said the allegations were concocted. The court however,observed that he had not cross-examined any of the witnesseswho deposed against him before the inquiry officer and refusedto grant him relief.