Sexual Harassment allegations against CJI Ranjan Gogoi: Don’t probe into the complaint ex-parte, Justice DY Chandrachud

Justice DY Chandrachud has reportedly asked the in-house panel probing the sexual allegations against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, not to proceed with the inquiry ex-parte..According to Indian Express, Justice Chandrachud, accompanied by Justice Rohintan Nariman, met the inquiry panel comprising Justices SA Bobde, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee on Friday evening..Justice Chandrachud reportedly also suggested that the committee should accede to the request of the complainant to be represented by a lawyer or it should appoint an Amicus Curiae for the probe. He also wrote to the panel stating that the credibility of the Supreme Court would be further damaged if the probe is continued in the absence of the complainant..The former Supreme Court staffer who had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had withdrawn from the three Judge in-house committee probing allegations..She had cited reasons such as no video recording, and not being allowed a lawyer, among other things, as reasons for the same..The complainant had also added that while she had requested for an external committee to look into the allegations in the letter written to all the Supreme Court Judges, an in-house panel was constituted..The statement issued by the complainant also stated that upon inquiring about the procedure the panel will be adopting in the hearings, she was informed that this was an informal proceeding and she was not allowed her lawyer/support person with her during the hearings. In addition to this, her request of video recording the proceedings was also declined and she was instructed not to disclose details of the proceedings to the media or even to her lawyer..When the panel was informed by the complainant that she will be unable to participate in the proceedings further if she was not allowed her lawyer, the panel had told her that the proceedings would continue ex-parte..The complainant had then issued a press release stating:.“I was compelled to walk out of the committee proceedings today because the committee seemed not to appreciate the fact that this was not an ordinary complaint but was a complaint of sexual harassment against a sitting CJI and therefore it was required to adopt procedure that would ensure fairness and equality in the highly unequal circumstances that I am placed. I had hoped that the approach of the committee towards me would be sensitive and not one that would cause me further fear, anxiety, and trauma.”.Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.