Sexual harassment allegations against CJI: 2 judges ask panel to probe in woman’s presence

The judges of the Supreme Court Justice Chandrachud and Justice Nariman have asked the in-house panel probing sexual harassment allegations against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to not proceed without the presence of petitioner. “Justice Chandrachud, accompanied by Justice Rohintan Nariman, met the inquiry panel comprising Justices S A Bobde, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee on Friday evening. It is believed that the two judges discussed their concerns about the ongoing probe with the panel,” according to the Indian Express.

Justice Chandrachud is in line to be the Chief Justice for two years, from 2022 to 2024 and Justice Nariman is at present a member of the Collegium.

Earlier, the woman, who levelled the allegations, walked out of the inquiry committee, raising objections over various issues, including denial of her lawyer's presence.

The woman, who issued the press statement after participating in the proceedings for three days before the three-member panel headed by Justice S A Bobde, also expressed apprehension that she was "not likely to get justice" from the panel which not only refused her request for presence of lawyer Vrinda Grover during the proceedings but also told her if she did not participate "they would proceed ex-parte".

On Wednesday, CJI Ranjan Gogoi met the three-member panel, headed by Justice S A Bobde, looking into allegations of sexual harassment. "A letter of request was issued to the Chief Justice of India asking him to meet the committee and he responded to it and he met the committee on this issue," the source said.

In her affidavit, the woman described two incidents of alleged harassment, days after Justice Gogoi was appointed CJI last October and her subsequent persecution.

The woman alleged that she was removed from service after she rebuffed his "sexual advances". She claimed that her husband and brother-in-law, both of whom were head constables of Delhi Police, were suspended for a 2012 criminal case that had been mutually resolved.