December 24, 2020:. Prashant Joshi, the Dehradun district judge was suspended from his duties after it was reported that he used a private audi, whose owner has a FIR registered on his name, to travel from Dehradun to Mussoorie to attend a camp court.
The owner of the said Audi, Kewal Krishan Soin is offical board of district judge. Joshi was supposed to use the official vehicle to attend the court in Mussoorie on 21st and 22nd December but opted to travel in the private car.
“Sri Prashant Joshi, District Judge, Dehradun, against whom, disciplinary proceeding is contemplated, with regard to following charges, is put under suspension with immediate effect…”, reads the office memorandum released by Registrar General Hira Singh Bonal. The memorandum further adds that an FIR under Section 420, 467, 468, 471 & 120-B IPC is registered against Kewal Krishan Soin at Rajpur police station in Dehradun and to quash the said FIR, a written petition (criminal) is pending before the High Court.
During this period of suspension and untill further orders, Joshi shall remain attached to the district judgeship’s headquarters, Rudraprayag and without seeking permission from the hon’ble court, shall not leave the station as this act of Joshi is in violation of rule 3(1), 3(2), and Rule 30 of the Uttarakhand Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 2002. The memorandum further reads that the “Said conduct is unbecoming of a Judicial Officer.”
