The Delhi High Court has dismissed a review petition filed by retired judicial officer and former Presiding Officer of the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT)-II, Chandigarh, MM Dhonchak, challenging the orders upholding his suspension.

A Division Bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Tejas Karia, in a judgment delivered on October 16, held that there was no error apparent on the face of the record warranting a review of its earlier decisions in M M Dhonchak v. Union of India.

"The Appellant [Dhonchak] has failed to establish any error apparent on the face of the record or any other ground for review. The Review Petition merely seeks reconsideration of findings already rendered in the Judgment, which is impermissible," the Court observed.

Dhonchak's suspension was initially ordered on February 13, 2024, and subsequently extended until May 8, 2025, pending an inquiry into allegations of misconduct against him. Dhonchak retired from the district judiciary in 2021 after serving for around 30 years.

He was appointed Presiding Officer of DRT-II, Chandigarh, on February 20, 2022. During his tenure, the DRT Bar Association, Chandigarh, raised complaints alleging misconduct.

These complaints were referred to the Chairperson of the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT), Delhi, which oversees the functioning of DRTs.

The dispute escalated when the Bar Association abstained from work and approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging that Dhonchak had passed adverse orders in pending cases. In October 2023, the High Court noted strained relations between Dhonchak and the Bar Association and restrained him from passing adverse orders in pending matters.

Dhonchak subsequently approached the Supreme Court through a Special Leave Petition (SLP). The Supreme Court left the matter to the DRAT Chairperson for further consideration.

A preliminary report dated July 10, 2023, led to the formation of a Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC), which recommended an inquiry by former Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Virender Singh.

Following the SCSC's recommendation, Dhonchak was suspended on February 13, 2024. The suspension was extended for 180 days on May 13, 2024, and again on November 5, 2024, following reviews by the Suspension Review Committee (SRC).

In September 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed Dhonchak's writ petition challenging the suspension. It subsequently dismissed his appeal in August 2026, prompting him to seek a review of the decisions on the ground that they contained errors apparent on the face of the record.

Rejecting his plea, the Division Bench found no instance where his pleadings or written submissions had been overlooked. It also observed that the Court had not failed to consider his claim for an enhanced subsistence allowance, as he had not sought such relief in the proceedings.

Advocate Balraj Singh Malik appeared for Dhonchak, while Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Pratima Lakra and Shailendra Kumar Mishra represented the Union government.