Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu, a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, died in the early hours of Sunday at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was 59 and had been unwell. The High Court confirmed that he breathed his last at 2:50 am.
Judicial Career and Elevation
Justice Sindhu was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 10, 2017, and was appointed a permanent Judge on December 3, 2018. His judicial career followed a long and distinguished tenure at the Bar.
Early Life and Education
Born on April 4, 1967, in Masoodpur village in the Hansi district of Haryana, he completed his schooling at Government High School, Masoodpur. He earned his LL.B. degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1992 and enrolled with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana the same year.
Legal Practice and Government Roles
A first-generation lawyer, Justice Sindhu practiced mainly before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in civil, criminal, constitutional, and service law matters. During his career at the Bar, he represented several institutions and government bodies, including the Haryana Public Service Commission, Kurukshetra University, the Indian Red Cross Society (Haryana State Branch), cooperative banks, and BSNL.
He was appointed Additional Central Government Standing Counsel in 1999 and Additional Government Pleader for the Union Territory, Chandigarh, in 2000. He served as Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, from 2004 to 2008; Additional Advocate-General, Punjab, from September 2008 to December 2009; and Additional Advocate-General, Haryana, from December 2009 until February 2013, when he resumed private practice. In 2016, he was empanelled to represent the Punjab and Haryana High Court and subordinate courts in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
Other Contributions and Memberships
Justice Sindhu also served as a member of the International Law Association (India), the State Executive Committee constituted under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, and the managing and finance committees of the Indian Red Cross Society and St. John Ambulance (India), Haryana State Branch.
Cremation Details
His cremation will take place at 5 pm on Sunday at his native village, Masoodpur, in the Hansi district of Haryana.
