Hours after former Supreme Court judge A K Ganguly’s letter to the Chief Justice of India claiming there was a “palpable design” to malign him in a sexual harassment case became public, the ‘survivor’ intern launched a broadside in her blog and hinted she might file a police complaint against him.
The intern said Ganguly’s explanation amounts to an attempt to “escape scrutiny and accountability”. “I request that it be acknowledged that I have the discernment to pursue appropriate proceedings at appropriate times. I ask that my autonomy be respected fully,” she said.
In a parallel development, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take necessary steps to stop the witch-hunt against Ganguly. He argued that the former SC judge be allowed to defend himself before any decision on his continuation as Chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission was made.
Swamy in his letter said, “There has to be an impartial investigation to determine the truth as to what happened in the media-driven episode of a former intern alleging ‘unwelcome behaviour’ by the former Supreme Court judge.”
Under section 23(2) of the Human Rights Act, no presidential reference to the apex court is required and the President can directly remove the chairperson or member of a State Human Rights Commission if that person is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence which, in the opinion of the President, involves moral turpitude.
Ganguly has refused to quit as West Bengal Human Rights Commission chairman. On Monday, in a long letter to the CJI, he said the encounter with his ex-intern was “a cordial meeting followed by dinner”. Countering Ganguly’s letter, lawyer Harish Salve tweeted, “Justice Ganguly’s intemperate allegations against the intern are absurd. While some of those nailed for corruption may be cocking a snook at his discomfiture, to suggest that the intern is acting at their behest is preposterous.”
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