Judicial magistrate in Kerala suspended over alleged fake medical reimbursement claim

A Judicial First Class Magistrate in Thrissur was recently suspended following allegations of irregularities in a medical reimbursement claim.

The suspended judicial officer has been identified as the Thrissur 3rd Additional Munsiff Magistrate Tiara Rose Mary.

The suspension order was issued pursuant to the High Court's directions.

According to sources, the issue arose after a reimbursement claim was submitted by the judicial officer before a District Medical Officer (DMO) for expenses allegedly incurred towards her beauty related treatment, which ordinarily are not eligible for reimbursement.

The DMO declined to approve this claim. However, the judicial officer subsequently submitted a bill before the Kerala High Court claiming reimbursement, which raised suspicion.

The High Court ordered the Registrar (District Judiciary) to conduct an inquiry and it was found that the bill contained the fabricated seal of the DMO along with a forged signature.

Based on the finding that the documents submitted by the judicial officer were not genuine, the administrative committee of the High Court initiated disciplinary action against her and placed her under suspension for a period of six months.

Notably, this is not the first time judge Mary has courted controversy.

In 2024, she had approached the High Court alleging harassment by her superior, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Kottayam, while she was serving as the Judicial Magistrate there.