Larger conspiracy to frame CJI in sexual harassment case? SC orders inquiry

The SC appointed retired Justice A K Patnaik to lead the judicial inquiry and asked CBI, IB and Delhi Police chiefs to assist him

The three judge Supreme Court bench of Justices Arun Misra, R F Nariman and Deepak Gupta ordered that former SC judge Justice A K Patnaik will lead a judicial inquiry into allegations of a larger conspiracy to frame Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in a sexual harassment case.

The bench ordered that Justice (retd) Patnaik will be assisted by the CBI, IB and Delhi Police chiefs. Justice Patnaik will submit his report to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover.

The Court has also held that Advocate Utsav Bains could not claim immunity under Section 126 and directed him to divulge all information regarding the issue to the enquiry panel.

Earlier in the day the SC had expressed anguish over the "systematic attack" on the judiciary and said time has come to tell the rich and powerful of this country that they are "playing with fire" and this must stop.

The apex court was hearing claims made by an advocate that there was a larger conspiracy to frame Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi on allegations of sexual harassment.

The special bench said that it was anguished with the way the judiciary has been treated in the past 3-4 years. "The way this institution is treated in last few years we must say that we will not survive if this will happen," the bench said.

"There is a systematic attack, systematic game to malign this institution", the bench said.