MP HC sexual harassment case: 'Matter closed'; Judge gets clean chit

Bhopal, Aug 3: In a major relief, Madhya Pradesh High court judge Justice S K Gangele got a clean chit in a sexual harassment case filed by an additional sessions judge, last year.

According to TOI report, the probe panel was set up by Chief Justice H L Dattu. [Gwalior woman additional judge resigns after sexually harassed by MP HC judge]

The in-house inquiry committee comprised of Allahabad HC CJ Dhananjaya Chandrachud, Delhi HC CJ G Rohini and senior judge from Rajasthan HC Justice Ajay Rastogi.

In July 2015, the in-house committee submitted its report to the CJI, concluding that the sexual harassment charges were not proved against Justice Gangele. [Sexual harassment case: Gwalior former judge says her email account 'hacked']

The complainant told judges that had she not been transferred, then she would have "probably not" filed the complaint.

The committee also said the former additional sessions judge had not come forward with satisfactory explanations and evidence about the three incidents of her alleged sexual harassment.

CJI was quoted saying as to the TOI, "The in-house inquiry report gives him a clean chit. I have accepted the report. The matter stands closed on the administrative side."

However, the complainant can still challenge the findings of the report by filing a petition in the Supreme Court.

The case was first reported on Aug 4, 2014, when the woman additional district and sessions judge in Gwalior had to resign after she was allegedly sexually harassed by the sitting Madhya Pradesh High Court judge.

In March this year, 58 MPs of Rajya Sabha had given a notice for impeaching Justice S K Gangele of Madhya Pradesh High Court who was facing allegations of sexual harassment.

The issue had hogged media headlines after the lady judge resigned on July 15 last year days after she was transferred to a remote district.

After resigning the lady judge had sent representations to the President of India, the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on August 1, 2014 in which she had made serious allegations against the Justice.

Meanwhile, the judge had said that he was ready to face death sentence if he is found guilty. [Ready for Death Sentence if Found Guilty: MP HC judge]

In Dec 2014, the Supreme Court had quashed two judge panel set up by the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh high court to probe the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by a woman district judge against the sitting judge of the high court.

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