Magistrate Raj Malhotra has been stood down amid sexual assault allegations after the Victorian Attorney-General referred him to the Judicial Commission of Victoria.
According to the Herald Sun, Melbourne magistrate Raj Malhotra is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Christmas party last year and inciting violence against a male staff member.
Mr Malhotra has been stood down after Attorney General Martin Pakula referred him to the commission.
In a statement on Monday, the Judicial Commission of Victoria said it decided to refer two matters concerning the conduct of a Magistrate to an Investigating Panel. The first matter was referred by the Attorney-General in December 2017. The second matter was referred by the Chief Magistrate Peter Lauritsen in January 2018.
The investigating panel comprises two senior retired judges and a non-legal person from the community selected from a pool of persons selected by the Governor –in-council.
After the completion of the investigation, the investigating panel will either dismiss the referral, or refer the matter to the Chief Magistrate, or if it forms an opinion that facts exist which could warrant the removal of the Magistrate, prepare a report for the Governor.
Mr Malhotra was allowed to continue to work after the serious allegations surfaced.
The Age reports that Judge Lauritsen confirmed that a magistrate had been stood down pending the outcome of an investigation.
Mr Malhotra was appointed to the Magistrate's Court of Victoria in March last year.
