Suspended Mumbai High Court Judge J W Singh, facing charges of extortion in nexus with the underworld, has been dismissed from judicial service. The dismissal order was served upon him in the central prison in Mumbai, on Wednesday, said Hemant Sampat, additional registrar, Special Investigation Department, Mumbai High Court. The judge has been dismissed by Maharashtra government on the advise of the High Court Chief Justice, Sampat said. Singh was suspended in August last year after the High Court registrar charged him with developing links with the underworld. Police claim to have recorded in March-April last year three telephonic talks between Singh, Karachi-based don Chotta Shakeel and deceased lawyer Liyakat Ali Shaikh which reveal that he had hired goons to recover his chit fund money amounting to Rs 40 lakh in lieu of judicial favours. Singh has already been chargesheeted for offences under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). A special court set up under MCOCA has framed charge against him early this month. Singh's petition, challenging the police decision to book him under MCOCA and the court's jurisdiction to try him for offences under PCA, was admitted by Mumbai High Court on September 6. It will be heard on September 26. Another petition, seeking contempt action against Singh for his alleged conduct in hiring underworld to recover his money, will be heard by justices G D Patil and R M Lodha on September 25. The petition, filed by advocate M P Vashi, says that Singh had brought judiciary into disrepute. Bureau Report