Complainant in CJI sexual harassment case appears before in-house panel

New Delhi, Apr 27: A former woman employee of the Supreme Court who has accused the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment charges appeared before an in-house committee.

The proceedings were conducted in-camera by the committee comprising three judges of the Supreme Court. During the hearing the Secretary General of the Supreme Court too was present.

On Thursday Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra was appointed as the third member of the in-house inquiry panel. The development came in the wake of Justice N V Ramanna recusing himself from the panel headed by Justice S A Bobde.

The development assumes significance as the former woman employee of the Supreme Court had written a letter on Wednesday to the panel expressing reservation over the inclusion of Justice Ramana on the ground that he is a close friend of the CJI and a regular visitor to his house.

In her letter to Justice Bobde, she had also raised question over the presence of only one woman apex court judge -- Banerjee -- in the panel to examine her allegations against the CJI which according to her is not in accordance with the Vishaka Guidelines.

Sources said that Justice Ramana did not recuse owing to the objections raised by the former woman employee who has levelled allegations of sexual harassment against the CJI.

"Justice Ramana has recused and letter has been sent to Justice Bobde. It is a big three pages letter. The recusal is not based on the grounds raised by the former woman employee. But it is done so that the whole exercise does not get vitiated," a source said.