Thrissur: In a significant move to uphold judicial accountability, the Kerala High Court has suspended a Judicial First Class Magistrate in Thrissur for allegedly attempting to defraud the government using forged medical documents. Tiara Rosemary, the Judicial Third Class Magistrate of Thrissur, was placed under suspension after an internal probe uncovered a calculated attempt to misappropriate funds.
The Cosmetics Scam
The investigation revealed that the magistrate attempted to claim a reimbursement of approximately ₹30,000 for personal expenses. According to reports, the bills submitted were originally for the purchase of cosmetic products, which do not qualify for government medical reimbursement.
The magistrate initially approached the District Medical Officer (DMO) to get the bills approved. However, the DMO refused to authorize the claims, noting that they violated medical reimbursement rules.
Forgery and Deception
Undeterred by the DMO’s refusal, the magistrate allegedly resorted to criminal measures. She reportedly created a fake seal and forged the signature of the District Medical Officer on the documents. These falsified bills were then forwarded to the High Court for final approval and disbursement of funds.
The scam came to light when the concerned department at the High Court noticed discrepancies in the submitted documents. A subsequent verification confirmed that the DMO’s signature was forged and the seal was counterfeit.
Action and History of Misconduct
Taking a stern view of the ethical breach, the Registrar (District Judiciary) issued the suspension order for a period of six months, pending a detailed departmental inquiry.
This is notably not the first time Tiara Rosemary has courted controversy. During her previous tenure as a Magistrate in Neyyattinkara, she faced disciplinary action for allegedly using abusive language and behaving inappropriately toward an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) on duty.
