Activists protest against clean chit to CJI Gogoi, Section 144 imposed outside Supreme Court

Several lawyers and women activists were detained for their protests against the clean chit given by the Supreme Court’s in-house panel to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 in the area. The protestors were detained and taken away to Mandir Marg police station. The police said that the situation is under control. The protests were bit unprecedented in a way that on any given day, any kind of agitation are not allowed outside the Supreme Court or even the gathering. Only litigants, lawyer and media person are allowed to enter the apex court.

There are various reports, which said that as many as 300 activists were detained by the police. “Today we are facing an unprecedented crisis of credibility vis-à-vis the Supreme Court. In dealing with a complaint of sexual harassment against the Chief Justice, the court has failed to give the complainant a fair hearing. Disregarding her request for a ‘special enquiry committee’, the Supreme Court instead set up an in-house Committee comprising three judges who are junior to the Chief Justice. Not surprisingly, on May 6, 2019, it declared that there is “no substance in the allegation contained in the complaint,” the 350 signatories said in a statement released to the press today.

In a response to the development, the complainant said that she was “highly disappointed and dejected”.  A statement issued by her reads, “I, the woman complainant, a former SC employee, am highly disappointed and dejected to learn that the In-House Committee “has found no substance” in my complaint and feel that gross injustice has been done to me as a woman citizen of India. I am now extremely scared and terrified because the In- House Committee, despite having all material placed before them, appears to have given me no justice or protection and said nothing about the absolutely malafide dismissals and suspensions, indignities and humiliations suffered by me and my family. I and my family members remain vulnerable to the ongoing reprisals and attack.”