The Delhi High Court has suspended district judge Sanjeev Kumar Singh and recommended disciplinary proceedings against him and another judge, Anil Kumar, following a complaint from a young woman lawyer who accused them of attempting to coerce her into retracting rape allegations against a Delhi-based advocate.
According to records of a full court meeting held on August 28, accessed by Hindustan Times, the action was taken after the complainant, a 27-year-old advocate, submitted audio recordings and other materials to substantiate her claims. The high court’s vigilance committee examined the allegations and found grounds to proceed with immediate suspension and inquiry.
The woman, who had earlier worked as a law clerk under both judges, alleged that Singh and Kumar acted at the behest of the accused advocate. She claimed the judges repeatedly pressured her not to pursue her FIR, discouraged her from undergoing medical examination, and urged her to tell a magistrate that the case was filed in error.
The complaint further alleged that Singh offered her a financial settlement, claiming he had already received ₹30 lakhfrom the accused’s lawyer, which would be handed over if she agreed to compromise. When she refused, Singh allegedly threatened to implicate her brother in a false narcotics case.
To support her claims, she provided call logs, chat screenshots, and three audio recordings on a pen drive, which were examined by the vigilance committee. Singh was reportedly unable to explain one of the audio clips during questioning.
The vigilance committee—comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad, Prateek Jalan, Amit Bansal, Amit Sharma, and Manoj Jain—recommended suspension of Singh and disciplinary action against both judges. The full court approved this recommendation the following day. On August 29, Registrar General Arun Bhardwaj issued an order suspending Singh and restricting him from leaving Delhi without prior permission.
The woman also mentioned that in January 2025, she was introduced to a then-sitting Delhi High Court judge by the accused lawyer, who allegedly promised her a research position. However, court records clarify that this judge has no role in the present matter, and proceedings are confined to Singh and Kumar.
The development highlights what the complainant described as a case of “serious judicial misconduct and abuse of power.” The inquiry against both judges is now underway.
Read More: 56th GST Council Meet On Tomorrow: 2 Slab GST Structure May Reduce Fake ITC Availment Cases
