Justice Ganguly should voluntary resign, Says Sibal

Law Minister Kapil Sibal said Monday that Justice A.K. Ganguly, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a law intern, should voluntary submit his resignation from the post of chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.

"In the light of the latest revelation by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) published in a national daily, I think it's time for Justice Ganguly to voluntarily submit his resignation," Sibal told reporters here.

ASG Indira Jaising Sunday made public the law intern's affidavit detailing the sequence of the events which she submitted to the three-judge committee, which indicted Ganguly, finding him guilty of "unwelcome behaviour" towards the intern.

Earlier Monday, Sibal also said that the apex court should look into the matter against the judge.

"We hope that the Supreme Court takes action in the case of Justice A.K. Ganguly in the same way as it takes against a normal man when the security of women is in question," Sibal told reporters outside parliament.

"So, I hope the court will take action no matter who it is, whether he is a retired judge of the court," the law minister added.

Asked if the government would intervene in the matter, Sibal said: "There is a procedure under the Protection of Human Rights Act under which a person holding the position of chairman can be removed for misbehaviour and incapacity to continue in that position."

If justice Ganguly does not resign, the government might take the position and decide.

"This must be taken to a logical conclusion. Resignation from the post is one thing but we would wait, as there is a petition from the ASG pending in the apex court. We will see what Supreme Court does about that because that is the thing which should enable us to unravel what happened," he said.