Apparently undeterred by the mounting political pressure and two letters by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking removal of Justice Ashok Ganguly as West Bengal Human Rights Commission Chairman for his alleged “unwelcome” sexual conduct against a law intern a year ago, the former Supreme Court Judge told the probing media to “mind your own businesses” when asked to comment on why he was not resigning despite sexual charges leveled against him by a law intern.
“That is none of your business, Justice Ganguly retorted before taking a suo motu cognisance of a similar case of molestation of a woman in Howrah directing the Superintendent of Police to institute an investigation into the case.
“After seeing a report in the newspapers the ‘Commission comprising Chairman Justice AK Ganguly and member Naparajit Mukherjee has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and directed the SP Howrah to cause an investigation’ to be conducted and “send the report to the Commission within four weeks,” WBHRC Registrar R Samanata said.
Meanwhile, legal luminaries in Kolkata once again questioned the legality of the demand and the proceedings against Justice Ganguly in the intern harassment case saying the recent hullabaloo had more to do with things political than legal.
Reiterating his stance former lok Sabha Speaker and barrister Somnath Chatterjee said the entire “exercise seems to be overzealous.” On the issue of his resignation he said he reposed faith in him adding “he will decide what has to be done,” even as sources close to the WBHRC Chairman said he had his brief ready “to test the standards of law.”
“Everyone has his right and dignity. If he is proved guilty then the country will definitely punish him” Chatterjee said on the issue of his resignation wondering however, “is it that easyIJ Just because someone allegesIJ”
Some other senior barristers from Calcutta High Court threw a barrage of questions “why on earth no FIR has been lodgedIJ Why the complainant is not coming to the foreIJ Why was it made after such a long gap of timeIJ Why had the complaint to be written to the Supreme Court without approaching the police first particularly when Justice Ganguly is not in the administration that can influence the probeIJ”