The Supreme Court on Monday confirmed the receipt of a complaint by a lady Additional District Judge of Gwalior alleging sexual harassment against a sitting High Court judge of Madhya Pradesh. Although the Chief Justice of India is yet to decide on the complaint, the HC judge in question has denied the allegation against him in a letter addressed to the Madhya Pradesh HC Chief Justice.
Support also poured in for the harassed lady judge from former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indira Jaising who demanded the CJI to return her resignation offer and instead launch inquiry against the HC judge. She urged Parliamentarians to unite across party lines to seek impeachment of the judge and asked the CJI not to assign the judge in question any judicial work pending inquiry. Even a PIl was filed in Supreme Court demanding investigation into the incident.
A message addressed by the Supreme Court public relations office said, “With regard to allegations of sexual harassment of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Gwalior, a representation through email has been received in the Registry which is being dealt with appropriately.”
The lady judge who ironically was the District Vishaka Committee Chairperson had accused the Administrative Judge of the Gwalior Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court of “sexual harassment” by accusing him of passing coloured remarks against her and torturing her for not submitting to his ill-designs. Finally when she was transferred out in violation of the Transfer Policy and was even denied extension that jeopardised her daughter’s studies who was in Class XII, she resigned. In her letter, she said, “As, I was left with no option, but to resign; so, I resigned on 15.7.14 in compelling, humiliating and disgraceful circumstances to save my dignity, womanhood, self-esteem and career of my daughter.”
Jaising, who held a press conference here on Monday appealed to all Members of Parliament to rise to the occasion and initiate impeachment proceedings against the judge. According to her, the complaint ought to be investigated by Sexual Harassment Complaints Committee of the Supreme Court and till such time the enquiry got over, all judicial functions should be withdrawn from the judge in question.
Earlier in the day, the judge facing the charge wrote to the MP High Court Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar giving his version of the events and objecting to each complaint leveled against him. He was prepared to receive any punishment if a proper enquiry revealed any truth in the allegations of the lady judge. According to him, she had complained to him about a Deputy Registrar and had resigned as she did not wish to be posted at Sidhi, keeping the interest of her daughter’s education in mind.