Ex-SC staffer who accused CJI, appears before panel

Former Supreme Court staffer, who levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, appeared before an in-house inquiry panel of the apex court on Friday.

The panel, headed by Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justice Indira Banerjee and Indu Malhotra, has been set up after the complainant wrote to the 22 judges of the top court reagrding the allegations.

The Committee initially included Justice N.V. Ramana, who recused himself on Thursday after the complainant had written to the inquiry panel, objecting to Justice Ramana's presence on the Committee.

She alleged that Justice Ramana apparently shared a close friendship with the Chief Justice and that she apprehended that eventually she may not get a fair hearing.

The complainant, who formerly a Junior Court Assistant in the Supreme Court, had sent a self-sworn affidavit to all sitting judges of the Supreme Court levelling sexual harassment allegation against the Chief Justice.

--IANS

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