The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the dismissal of judicial officer Abhinav Kiran Sekhon, who was terminated for traveling to Doha and the United Kingdom in 2019 without obtaining the necessary permissions. Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti presided over the case, emphasizing the severity of the officer’s misconduct.
During the proceedings, the bench critically addressed Sekhon’s actions, particularly his attempt to tamper with documents, which they viewed as incompatible with the ethical standards expected within the judiciary. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Sekhon, failed to sway the court, which expressed concern that entertaining the petition could set a detrimental precedent.
The court highlighted that Sekhon had not only withheld facts but also attempted to deceive the court by not presenting complete information. This lack of transparency was a significant factor in their decision to dismiss the appeal.
Previously, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had also upheld the termination, noting that Sekhon’s pattern of insubordination and suppression of facts during his probation suggested that such behavior would likely continue if he were confirmed in his post. The High Court chose not to interfere with the administrative decision, which was initially based on a recommendation from the full court.
The Punjab government officially terminated Sekhon in April 2021, following these recommendations. His judicial career had started in April 2016, and after completing his training in 2017, he served as a civil judge (junior division) at Ferozepur before taking on additional assignments.
The misconduct came to light during a random administrative review by the judge overseeing Patiala district courts. It was discovered that Sekhon had undertaken trips abroad without prior authorization and had misrepresented facts when questioned about these travels.
