Madras HC suspends Melur JM on charges of bias towards granite barons

01 April, Chennai

The Madras High Court (HC) Friday suspended Melur Judicial Magistrate (JM) K V Mahendra Boopathy from service pending a detailed inquiry into allegations of “bias” in favour of granite barons, who were accused in the multi-Crore illegal granite quarrying cases.

Boopathy was placed under suspension and he was replaced by Madurai Fast Track Court-II Judge Bharathiraja, HC sources said.

The suspension order comes close on the heels of Justice P.N.Prakash of Madurai Bench of Madras HC recommended to the Chief Justice to initiate “contempt of court proceedings or disciplinary action” against Mahendra Boopathy, after smelling rat in the way he handled cases related to the granite scam.

Principal District and Sessions Judge A.M.Basheer Ahamed and Chief Judicial Magistrate P.Saravanan made a surprise visit to the Melur court and questioned Boopathy for a couple of hours yesterday.

It was learnt that the Judges after investigating him, submitted their report to Chief Justice S.K.Kaul, who took the final decision of suspending him from service.