CJI Sexual Harassment Case: SC Denies That Two Justices Met Bobde

A statement from the apex court said “this is wholly incorrect” about reports that the two judges met Justice Bobde.

A statement from the apex court said that reports that the two judges met Justice Bobde were “wholly incorrect”.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Sunday, 5 May denied a media report that said justices RF Nariman and DY Chandrachud met Justice SA Bobde who is heading an in-house committee inquiring into the sexual harassment allegations against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, PTI reported.

A statement from the apex court said that reports that the two judges met Justice Bobde on Friday evening, were “wholly incorrect”.

The statement, which has been issued from the office of the Supreme Court’s secretary general, said that it is most unfortunate that a leading newspaper chose to state that the two judges met Justice Bobde.

Further the statement said that the in-house committee which is deliberating on the issue concerning the CJI deliberates on its own without any input from any other judge of the apex court.

‘Probe Could Further Hurt SC’s Credibility’

A report in The Indian Express on Sunday, 5 May, stated that justices Nariman and Chandrachud had met Justice Bobde and had expressed their view that the three-member committee should not go ahead with proceedings ex parte.

According to The Indian Express report, Justice Chandrachud wrote to the three judges in the probe panel that the credibility of the Supreme Court would be further damaged if they decided to continue with the probe in the absence of the complainant.

The former woman employee of the apex court, who has levelled the sexual harassment allegations, has opted herself out from participating in the investigation by the in-house committee, citing several grievances, including the denial of permission to have her lawyer present during the proceedings.

Justice Chandrachud also suggested that the committee could either accede to the complainant’s request to provide her with a lawyer or appoint an amicus curiae for the probe.

(With inputs from PTI and The Indian Express)