Ex-SC staffer who accused Chief Justice of sexual harassment withdraws from inquiry

The woman says she "felt she was not likely to get justice from this committee and so she is no longer participating in the three Judge Committee proceedings".

Former Supreme Court (SC) staffer who had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday refused to participate in the in-house panel proceedings headed by SC judge Justice Bobde, saying she "felt she was not likely to get justice from this committee and so she is no longer participating in the three Judge Committee proceedings".

"Today, 30th April 2019, was the third day I went to the in-house committee of 3 Supreme Court Judges (Hon’ble Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice Indira Banjeree and Justice Indu Malhotra). But due to serious concerns and reservations, I am no longer participating in these in-house committee proceedings. I joined and participated in the Committee proceedings in good faith on 26th and 29th April 2019 with the hope that this committee would proceed in a manner that is fair to me and sensitive to my circumstances. Despite the fact that the committee was an in-house committee of sitting judges junior to the CJI and not an external committee as I had requested, I joined the proceedings with a lot of hope considering that the committee comprised of such eminent Hon’ble judges. I felt that this committee will hear my sufferings and finally justice will be done to me and my family," the woman said in a statement to media.

The woman also said that she has not been allowed to have presence of  lawyer/support person despite her impaired hearing, nervousness and fear. She added that there is no video or audio recording of the Committee proceedings and she has not been supplied even a copy of her statement as recorded on April 26 and 29, 2019. The ex-SC staffer also said she was not informed about the procedure this committee is following.

"I felt I was not likely to get justice from this committee and so I am no longer participating in the 3 Judge Committee proceedings," the woman said in her statement.