CJI gets clean chit in sexual harassment allegations, woman says "gross injustice" done

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi Monday got a clean chit from the Supreme Court's In-House Inquiry Committee which "has found no substance" in the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by a former woman employee of the apex court.

The 3-member Committee, which completed its task in 14 days, proceeded ex-parte as the woman had opted out of the inquiry on April 30 after participating for three days.

Immediately after the office of apex court's Secretary General came out with the findings of the committee, the woman issued a press statement saying that she was "highly disappointed and dejected".

She said "gross injustice" has been done to her as a woman citizen of India and "worst fears" have come true, and all hope of justice and redress from the highest Court of the land have been shattered.

She said that she will consult her lawyer and decide on the next steps.

A notice by the office of Supreme Court Secretary General said the report of the Committee, headed by Justice S A Bobde, "is not liable to be made public".

The Committee, also comprising two woman judges of the apex court -- Justices Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee -- had on May 1 recorded the statement of the CJI who had appeared before it.

"The In-House Committee has found no substance in the allegations contained in the complaint dated April 19, 2019 of a former employee of the Supreme Court of India. Please take note that in case of Indira Jaising vs Supreme Court of India and Anr (2003), it has been held that the report of a committee constituted as a part of the In-House Procedure is not liable to be made public," the notice said.

It further said: "The In House Committee has submitted its report dated May 5, 2019 in accordance with the In House Procedure, to the next senior judge competent to receive the report and also sent a copy to the judge concerned, namely, the CJI."
Justice Bobde on April 23 had told PTI, "This is going to be an in-house procedure which does not contemplate representation of advocate on behalf of parties. It is not a formal judicial proceeding."