HomeEconomy NewsChief Justice Ranjan Gogoi forcefully dismisses sexual harassment charges against him by former Supreme Court employee 

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi forcefully dismisses sexual harassment charges against him by former Supreme Court employee 

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi emphatically dismissed allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him by a former Supreme Court employee, saying he was threatened  "with dire consequences" by the woman and adding that he will continue to discharge his duties.

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By CNBC-TV18 April 20, 2019, 3:00:41 PM IST (Updated)

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi forcefully dismisses sexual harassment charges against him by former Supreme Court employee 
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi emphatically dismissed allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him by a former Supreme Court employee, saying he was threatened  "with dire consequences" by the woman and adding that he will continue to discharge his duties.


The former employee of the Supreme Court of India accused Gogoi of sexual harassment and persecution and sent copies of a sworn affidavit to the residences of 22 Supreme Court judges on Friday.

"The independence of the judiciary is under very serious threat,” Justice Gogoi said after a special three-judge bench held a special hearing on the case on Saturday morning.

Justice Arun Mishra and Justice S Khanna were the other members of the bench. A sexual misconduct allegation against a CJI is unprecedented in the annals of Indian judicial history.

“It’s pathetic ... If these are the conditions for judges, good people will never come forth in the judiciary," Justice Gogoi said.

In the affidavit, the former employee described two incidents of molestation by Gogoi, both of which allegedly took place on October 11, 2018.

Gogoi took charge of India’s highest judicial office on October 3.

The woman claimed that she and her family faced “consistent persecution,” after she refused Justice Gogoi's sexual advances. She said she was dismissed from service and said she has seen her whole life fall apart.

“I say that the CJI has misused his position, office and authority and abused his clout and power to influence the police,” she writes. “I have been victimised for resisting and refusing the unwanted sexual advances of the CJI and my entire family has also been victimised and harassed due to that,” she was quoted in a report by Caravan magazine.

In Saturday’s hearing, Gogoi said that there were two criminal complaints pending against the woman's husband while an FIR was filed against her. "There has to be a bigger force behind the allegations," Gogoi added.

The bench did not pass any judicial orders in today's hearing.

"With these allegations, we feel restrained … it’s an awkward situation," Justice Khanna said at the end of the hearing.
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