New Delhi: In an unusual instance, Supreme Court of India holds a special sitting on a weekend after a former woman employee at the Supreme Court of India on Friday wrote to 22 judges of the top court alleging Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment.
A bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was set up to hear the case. During the hearing, Gogoi claimed, “Considering the very, very important cases that are due to be heard next week, they want to destabilise the office of the CJI. Independence of judiciary is under a very, very serious threat. This is pathetic.”
11:20 AM | “The responsibility of holding a special sitting is mine. I’ve taken this unusual and unprecedented step because things have gone too far. The judiciary cannot be targetted,” says Ranjan Gogoi
11:14 AM | “Considering the very, very important cases that are due to be heard next week, they want to destabilize the office of the CJI. Independence of judiciary is under very, very serious threat. This is pathetic. If judges have to work under these conditions, good people are not going to become judges. To have a bank balance of 6 lakhs after 20 years of service. My peon has more money,” says CJI.
11:10 AM | We are not passing any judicial order at this moment. We however ask media to show restraint, responsibility and wisdom so that independence of judiciary is not affected by baseless allegations, Supreme Court.
11:05 AM | “Less than 10 hours notice was given to me to respond”
“What I want to tell citizens is that judiciary of this country is under serious threat”, says Gogoi on the recent allegation”. “I will sit on this Bench and discharge my duties without fear and favour till my tenure is over”, CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
11:02 AM | “Independence of judiciary under very very serious threat. I had to tell this from the judicial seat”, CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
This is the reward a CJI gets after 20 years and a bank balance of Rs. 680000, says Gogoi.
11:00 AM | Ranjan Gogoi speaks about criminal cases against woman who alleged sexual harassment against him
“This is unbelievable. I should not stoop low even in denying it.” A bank balance of Rs. 6 lakh 80 thousand is all I have as bank balance”, CJI was quoted as saying by Bar & Bench.
The Supreme Court press release said the meeting as “a matter of great public importance”. It added that it’s in the “chief justice’s court to deal with a matter of great public importance touching upon the independence of the judiciary, on a mention being made by Tushar Mehta.” The Bench comprised of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Arun Mishra and Sanjiv Khanna.
Justice Ranjan Gogoi sworn in as Chief Justice of India
