In a severe dent to the image of higher judiciary, a woman Additional District and Sessions Judge in Gwalior has quit her job accusing a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court of sexual harassment, a charge he has rejected and offered to face death penalty if found true. Accusing a judge of the Gwalior bench of the high court of seeking sexual favours from her, the woman judge has written to the Chief Justice of India explaining the reasons that forced her to resign from judicial service. Chief Justice of India R M Lodha has deemed it as a very "serious issue" which would be dealt "appropriately".
Hang me if I am guilty, says Madhya Pradesh High Court judge accused of sexual harassment
The Madhya Pradesh High Court judge who stands accused of sexual harassment has stepped down from his position, while also maintaining his innocence. According to media reports, he reportedly stated to the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, "Hang me if I am guilty". Meanwhile, a PIL has also been filed demanding the judge to be suspended till the probe is completed. It is also seeking judicial enquiry against the judge. Read More
Rejecting the charges made by the woman judge, who also headed the district-level committee to look into sexual harassment in workplace, the high court judge today wrote a letter to Chief Justice R M Lodha offering to face any probe by any agency including an investigating agency. "I have highest regard to the institution and (am) concerned about the image of the institution. On repetition, I again say that I do not want any trial by any court." Offering to face a CBI inquiry or a probe by any agency, he said if any allegation against him is found true, "I am ready to face any penalty, even the death penalty". "In regard to the woman judge and even in regard to any lady, an investigation can also be done whether I have ever harassed or abused any of the lady employees or any subordinate judge," the judge said in his two-page letter to the CJI.
The woman judge, in her letter to CJI, narrates a number of instances in which she was the subject of the judge's "foul and malicious intentions". "Call it a woman's intuition but I was very cautious and disturbed...I ignored him and kept doing my work," she said, adding some of the words used by the judge made her feel ashamed. She also referred to the alleged harassment by three judicial officers on the orders of the high court judge.
CJI Lodha told PTI, "it is a very serious issue. All versions will have to be taken into account. Let me go through it." He said the matter has not come up before him yet but the registry has informed him that it has received emails on the issue. He would deal with the issue appropriately when the papers are placed before him as "the matter cannot be left like this". Read More
The complaint narrates an incident in February this year at the marriage ceremony of a judicial officer where the high court judge had allegedly told her in the presence of her 16-year-old daughter that her work was excellent but "you are more beautiful than your work".
In December last year, the wife of a senior judicial officer had telephoned her to tell her that the judge was eager to see her perform a dance on an item song at his marriage anniversary, she said. Having refused to fulfil "the illegal and malicious aspirations" of the high court judge, she was subjected to a great deal of harassment after she was transferred last month in the middle of the academic session of her daughter to a remote place, according to her complaint.
After her representation against the transfer did not succeed she had resigned on July 15 "in compelling, humiliating and disgraceful circumstances to save my dignity, womanhood, self esteem and career of my daughter", she said.
Meanwhile, a group of women activists led by former additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising called a press conference in New Delhi to demand impeachment of the high court judge and a thorough investigation into the complaint. The activists, who included advocate Vrinda Grover and historian Uma Chakraborty, demanded that the woman judge's resignation should not be accepted and that the high court judge should be barred from work from tomorrow. They appealed for bi-partisan support from political parties in their campaign for impeachment against the high court judge.
Watch the video report:
Also read: Congress, JD-U slam Madhya Pradesh HC judge for sexually harassing female colleague
Earlier, other judges including Justice AK Ganguly and Swatanter Kumar were also accused of similar charges.
Also read: Justice AK Ganguly - From respected judge to alleged molester
(With agency inputs)
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