Higher echelons of judiciary were today hit by allegations of sexual harassment of a senior woman judicial officer by a high court judge with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) R M Lodha describing it as a "very serious issue" which would be dealt with "appropriately".
A woman additional district and sessions judge in Gwalior has quit her job after accusing a judge of the Gwalior bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court of sexual harassment, a charge he has rejected and offered to face death penalty if found true.
Justice Lodha told PTI, "it is a very serious issue. All versions will have to be taken into account. Let me go through it."
He said the matter has not come up before him yet but the registry has informed him that it has received emails on the issue. He would deal with the issue appropriately when the papers are placed before him as "the matter cannot be left like this".
The woman judge concerned has sent a nine-page representation to the CJI stating that the high court judge had some months ago started showing "more than normal interest" in her work and had gradually started making "coloured remarks" about her.
The complaint narrates an incident in February this year at the marriage ceremony of a judicial officer where the high court judge had allegedly told her in the presence of her 16-year-old daughter that her work was excellent but "you are more beautiful than your work".
