LUCKNOW: A shocking incident of sexual harassment at the workplace has come to light after a lady civil judge, currently posted in Banda district of Bundelkhand region, shot off a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, seeking permission to end her life.
The letter, written by Banda Civil Judge Arpita Sahu, includes details of the alleged physical and mental torture she endured during her posting in the Barabanki civil court. She has recounted the harrowing tale of agony and pain meted out to her by a district judge.
In the two-page letter, a copy of which is with The New Indian Express, Judge Sahu has cited instances of inappropriate demands of the district judge and resultant harassment that reportedly went unaddressed despite her repeated petitions. The judge alleges that the district judge used to pressure her to meet at night.
She says in the letter to the CJI that inaction despite complaints propelled her to write to him seeking permission to end her life in a dignified manner.
"In the short time of my service, I have had the rare honour of being abused (the dreaded Hindi mother curse word) on the dais in open court. I have been sexually harassed to the very limit. I have been treated like utter garbage. I feel like an unwanted insect. I hoped to provide justice to others. What naive me!" reads the letter written by Arpita Sahu.
She continues: "I wish to tell all the working women in India: Learn to live with sexual harassment. It's a truth of our lives. The POSH ACT is a big wholesome lie told to us. No one listens to us, no one bothers."
In 2022, while being posted at Ramsanehighat in Barabanki, Judge Sahu lodged a complaint against advocates Ritesh Mishra and Mohan Singh, accusing them of using offensive language against her. In July, the Allahabad High Court instructed the forensic science laboratory in Lucknow to analyse the CCTV footage capturing the misconduct of advocates Mishra and Singh towards her.
Judge Sahu also expresses helplessness saying: “What justice will I give to others when I am hopeless myself. I thought that the highest court will hear such a straightforward benign prayer but my writ petition was dismissed in 8 seconds without any hearing and consideration of my prayer. I felt like my life, my dignity and my soul have been dismissed. It felt like a personal humiliation.”
She concludes her letter by saying, “I have no will to live anymore. I have been rendered to a walking corpse in the last year and a half. There is no purpose in carrying this soulless and lifeless body around anymore. There is no purpose left in my life.”