New Delhi, December 17: Excerpts of an affidavit by a law intern, who has accused former Supreme Court judge A K Ganguly of sexual harassment, have been made public in an unusual step by Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising, triggering fresh demands for his resignation as chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC).
In her affidavit to a three-judge panel set up by Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam to go into her allegation that Justice Ganguly had sexually harassed her in a hotel room on December 24 last year, the intern has desribed in detail his alleged behaviour when she had gone to assist him in his work.
Justice Ganguly, who has strongly denied the allegations and refused to step down as WBHRC chief, today raised questions on how a confidential statement can be made public.
“That is supposed to be confidential as it was given beore a Supreme Court committee. How can it come out in the open? he told PTI in Kolkata when asked about Jaising going public with the intern’s affidavit.
“What can I do ? Who is listening to me ? he said on being asked whether he would file a complaint on the issue.
Jaising said that she had made the excerpts public with the “full support” of the intern and if Justice Ganguly refused to resign, then the process should be initiated for his removal by the President of India. She has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.
The ASG said she would like to state “very unambiguously that whatever I am doing, I am doing with her (intern’s) complete cooperation and keeping her in the loop and I would never ever make a document like this public unless I had her full support“.
As pressure mounted on Justice Ganguly to resign, Law Minister Kapil Sibal said he was waiting to see when the apex court “rises to the occasion” to deal with the issue.
“Waiting to see when and how the Supreme Court rises to the occasion to deal with Justice Ganguly,” Sibal tweeted.
Later, talking to reporters outside Parliament House, Sibal hoped that the apex court would act on the issue as soon as possible.
“We have faith that Supreme Court will take the strictest possible action for women’s security whoever may be the person — be it the retired judge of Supreme Court or anybody else,” the Law Minister said.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said on the basis of the apex court panel’s report that an offence could have been committed.
Sibal puts onus of action on SC
With details of affidavit filed by the intern in molestation case becoming public, Law Minister Kapil Sibal virtually put the onus of action against Justice A K Ganguly on the Supreme Court amid demands for filing of a case against him and resignation as head of West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
“Waiting to see when and how the Supreme Court rises to the occasion to deal with Justice Ganguly,” Mr. Sibal tweeted.
Talking to reporters outside Parliament House later, he expressed hope that the apex court would act on the issue as soon as possible.
“We have faith that Supreme Court will take the strictest possible action for women’s security whoever may be the person — be it the retired judge of Supreme Court or anybody else,” the Law Minister said.
Justice Ganguly, former Supreme Court Judge, had been indicted by a three-judge committee of the apex court for “unwelcome behaviour” and “conduct of sexual nature” towards the woman law intern.
The Supreme Court, however, made it clear that no further follow up action is required by it in view of the fact that Justice Ganguly had demitted office before the date of the incident — December 24 last year.
Justice Ganguly has strongly denied the allegations against him.
BJP leader Arun Jaitley said JusticeGanguly should relinquish the office of WB Human Rights Commission chief.
“It is not an untested allegation…To protect the dignity of his office, he should quit,” Mr. Jaitley said.
Trinamool urges President to remove Ganguly
The Trinamool Congress upped the pressure on former Supreme Court judge A.K. Ganguly, accused of sexually harassing a law intern, saying he should resign from the post of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission chief or else the President should remove him.
“He should resign, or else President Pranab Mukherjee should remove him,” TMC general secretary Mukul Roy told PTI.
Mr. Roy said the West Bengal Chief Minister has written twice to the President seeking strong action against Ganguly.
The pressure on Justice Ganguly to resign further mounted after excerpts of an affidavit by the law intern was made public by Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising.
The girl, who had graduated from a Kolkata law school, had in an affidavit before a three-judge panel of the apex court gave a detailed account of what happened to her in a Delhi hotel room on 24 December, 2012 when she was called by the judge at night.
The committee had indicted the former judge for ’unwelcome behaviour’ and ‘conduct of sexual nature’ towards the girl who was then working as a law intern with him.
Justice Ganguly has so far denied all allegations against him and ruled out resigning as the head of the state human rights commission.
Several women rights activists, leaders from the BJP and the TMC have been vocal demanding his removal.
