Madras High Court transfers Kancheepuram judge Chemmal to Ariyalur Lok Adalat following allegations of abuse of power

The Madras High Court has transferred Kancheepuram Principal District Judge Pa.U. Chemmal, who had been facing flak in recent times for alleged misuse of his authority, and posted him as the chairman of the permanent Lok Adalat in Ariyalur district.

A transfer notification issued by the High Court’s Registrar General S. Alli on Tuesday (October 7, 2025) stated that Deepthi Arivunithi, now serving as Principal Judge, Commercial Court, Chennai shall take charge as the Kancheepuram Principal District Judge with immediate effect.

Mr. Chemmal came to adverse notice on September 8 when he passed a suo motu order remanding Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) M. Sankar Ganesh in judicial custody for having failed to arrest the judge’s former Personal Security Officer (PSO) R. Lokeswaran and the latter’s father-in-law.

On September 9, the Kancheepuram Superintendent of Police filed a petition in the High Court accusing Mr. Chemmal of having remanded the DSP due to a personal enmity with his former PSO. Justice N. Sathish Kumar took serious note of the issue and set aside the remand order.

Then, Additional Public Prosecutor K.M.D. Muhilan told the court that Mr. Chemmal suspected the former PSO of spreading rumours about him and therefore, pressurised the local police to register a criminal case against the former PSO and the latter’s father-in-law who owned a bakery in the locality.

Finding the charges to be serious, Justice Kumar directed the High Court’s Registrar (Vigilance) Jacintha Martin to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. The inquiry report, submitted on September 23, not only confirmed the charge but also revealed that Mr. Chemmal had forced a Food Safety Officer too to conduct a search at the bakery.

‘Habitual abuse of power’

The Registrar (Vigilance) informed the court Mr. Chemmal was in the habit of misusing his authority and that he had directed a Drug Inspector to take action against a pharmacy which refused to dispense medicines to the district judge without a valid medical prescription.

Further, it was brought to the notice of the High Court that Mr. Chemmal had directed the Kancheepuram municipality commissioner to act against an apartment adjacent to his residence for not allowing his personal car to be parked inside the apartment complex.

The Registrar (Vigilance) had also narrated several other incidents regarding misuse of power by the district judge. Therefore, Justice Kumar directed the Registrar to place her inquiry report before the High Court’s Vigilance Committee, comprising senior judges, for initiating disciplinary action.

Observing it may not be conducive to let Mr. Chemmal continue as a Principal District Judge until the completion of the disciplinary proceedings, Justice Kumar had directed the Registrar General to place the matter before the Transfer Committee too for immediate action.