The former law intern, who had brought a charge of sexually “unwelcome conduct” against former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly, hit back at her alleged tormentor within 24 hours of him writing a letter to CJI Justice P Sathasivam citing his side of the story hinting a frame-up by politically motivated people.
“Those who have been spreading rumours and politicising the issue are doing so out of prejudice and malice to obfuscate the issue and escape scrutiny and accountability” she wrote in a blog post.
The woman who reposed full faith in the three-member judges’ enquiry committee of the Supreme Court said she did not go to the police despite being advised by the respective quarters because “I was reluctant to do so.” In the blog she wrote “as the university did not have a policy against sexual harassment of women students during internship it was indicated to me that any action would be ineffective. I was also informed to file a complaint with the police, which I was reluctant to do.”
“I have the discernment to pursue appropriate proceedings at appropriate times. I ask that my autonomy be respected fully,” the victim currently working as a lawyer with an NGO said, hinting she may report the matter to the police.
Insisting that she “did not question the jurisdiction or intent of the three-member Judges’ Committee at any point and had full faith that they would establish the truth of my statements” the woman said that she had wanted confidentiality of the proceedings “keeping in mind the gravity of the situation as well as the privacy of everyone involved.”
On the apex court’s jurisdictional authority to conduct a probe involving a lawyer who was neither enrolled in Supreme Court or a Judge who had retired the woman said, “I believe that anyone claiming that my statements are false is showing disrespect not just to me but also to the Supreme Court of India.”
Earlier Justice Ganguly, who is currently the Chairman of West Bengal Human Rights Commission, wrote a lengthy letter to the Chief Justice a copy of which was forwarded to the President of India raising 32 questions on the propriety of the administrative inquiry against a retired judge like him and alleging lack of demeanour by court officers when he appeared before the apex court for deposition.
He also alleged a “palpable design” by “powerful quarters” whose interests had been hurt by his judgements as the Supreme Court Judge.
Meanwhile, Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress that had for the past few months been at the receiving end of Justice Ganguly’s observations as Rights’ Panel chief upped the ante against him saying he should resign irrespective of what he had written to the CJI or the President of India.
While former Union Minister Saugato Roy said, “What he has written to the CJI is his business,” adding he should resign as “it is not our political demand but a demand for decency and justice that he should step down on moral grounds.”
Another Trinamool MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee said regardless of his letter he had surrendered his right of objection right when he had appeared before the probe Committee. “He is making such statements now. Why did not he raise the same question thenIJ Once he appeared before the Committee he surrendered his right. Now he has to resign.”
In Delhi, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter to stop the “witch-hunt by certain law Officers” against Ganguly. In letter to Prime Minister on Tuesday, Swamy said the malicious campaign against Ganguly was an attempt to threaten other judges from delivering judgements against corruption at high places.
“I am particularly concerned that if this kind of witch-hunt and media driven campaign are to be launched, it will work as deterrent against the judges in the future, in delivering judgements essential in checking corruption at high places. Hence it is extremely important at this juncture to get an investigation completed before any precipitate action is taken merely to make out Justice Ganguly guilty without an opportunity of being heard,” Swami wrote.