Somnath Chatterjee says Justice Ganguly cannot be asked to resign on basis of allegations

Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday said former Supreme court Justice Ganguly who has been accused of sexually harassing a law intern, cannot be asked to resign from the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) based on allegations.

"I feel uncomfortable as a citizen if somebody is being asked to resign only based on allegations. Anybody can make allegations against anybody," Chatterjee said.

"Unless something is proven against somebody you cannot ask for his head or blood. Nobody without the process of law can say that he is guilty," he said.

He said it is important to let the law decide what needs to be done.

"Let law take its own course. He will be punished if he is found to be guilty by a competent authority or body of law," he said.

"He is not in a position to interfere with any investigation," he added.

Furthermore, he said incase of any individual in this country, whatever may be the person's position, if someone is alleged to guilty he must be held to be guilty.

"As far as I heard, Mr. Tejpal has admitted the act, but I have not got any statement from Justice Ganguly. So there is no point in drawing comparisons," he said.

"If he is guilty he should go but nobody can say he is guilty without it being proven," he added.

Justice Ganguly has been accused of sexually assaulting a law intern who worked with him. The Supreme Court had set up a three-judge panel, which heard testimonies from both, the law intern and Ganguly and submitted its report to the Chief Justice of India, P. Sathasivam, naming Ganguly as the accused.

The alleged sexual molestation incident is said to have taken place in a five-star hotel in Delhi last December.