Madras high court suspends Melur judicial magistrate

CHENNAI/MADURAI: One more judicial officer came under the adverse notice of the higher judiciary in Tamil Nadu with the Madras high court placing Melur judicial magistrate K V Mahendra Boopathy under suspension on Friday.
Boopathy's activities first fell on the high court's radar after Justice P N Prakash last month lambasted him for having failed to follow high court orders on a batch of ecologically, and politically too, sensitive granite mining cases in Madurai district.
Justice Prakash even suggested contempt proceedings against him, besides other consequences for flouting judicial discipline.
Boopathy courted more controversies by favouring action against former Madurai district collector Ansul Mishra who had continued the crackdown on granite mining mafia, first started by another IAS officer U Sagayam.
On Friday, the high court cracked is whip and put him under suspension, and posted Bharathiraja as the new magistrate in Melur.
As usual, the magistrate came to court in morning. Madurai district principal judge A M Basheer Ahmed came to Melur judicial magistrate court and informed Boopathy about his suspension.
Boopathy was suspended a day after a team of two judges, including the principal district judge, held an inquiry with him.
Madras high court's stern response to the magistrate is in sync with its recent action against several judicial officers in the subordinate judiciary in Tamil Nadu.
On Wednesday, a full court meeting comprising judges of the court voted with overwhelming majority to remove from service the Tiruvarur additional sessions judge Anburaj on serious charges.
Last year, the high court created history by sending home a total of six district judges, of whom two had not completed their regular retirement age of 58 years, while others had to leave service ahead of completion of their extended tenure of 60 years.
Earlier this year, a woman sub judge was proceeded against for amassing wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income. A team from the high court's vigilance department even raided her house, ahead of action, sources told TOI.