After AK Ganguly, another former judge accused of sexual harassment

After former Supreme Court Justice A.K. Ganguly, another retired judge has been accused of sexually harassing a law intern.

The law intern, who was interning with the judge in May 2011, in a letter to Chief Justice P Sathasivam has alleged that the judge sexually harassed her on three different occasions.

According to various news reports, the judge in question is Justice Swatanter Kumar.

In her affidavit to Chief Justice Sathasivam, she said, "I stepped out of the room before him, and as I walked out of the door, the judge placed his hand on my lower back. I felt quite uncomfortable and disturbed, but I brushed it aside."

In yet another incident, the intern alleged that the judge asked her "if I would be comfortable travelling with him during the internship and staying in hotel rooms... I felt extremely awkward and uncomfortable."

On May 28, 2011, the intern alleged "The judge asked me to come over to his side of the desk. When I did, he put his right arm around me and kissed me on my left shoulder. I was quite taken aback and shocked, and I excused myself and hurriedly left his room. This incident of unwelcome physical contact and sexual advances took place in the late afternoon or early evening. Immediately thereafter, I left the office,"

Subsequently, after this incident, the intern had quit her internship with the judge.

However, just like in the case of A.K. Ganguly, the SC told the intern that it cannot proceed against the judge as he has already retired.

The apex court referred to its December 5, of a full-court resolution in the Justice AK Ganguly case saying "representations made against former judges of this court are not entertainable by the administration of the Supreme Court.