The named intern (“SJ”) appeared before the Supreme Court inquiry committee for 90 minutes yesterday to give a statement, reported the Times of India yesterday, adding that “it was not immediately known if she stood by her earlier statements or named the alleged perpetrator”.
Other media reported that SJ appeared for more than two hours after protests by a group of female lawyers near the courts earlier that day.
It is understood that SJ requested the committee, which is believed to have consisted of three judges and three members of court staff, to keep the content of her deposition confidential.
However, at least two newspapers, quoting unnamed “highly placed legal sources” or information known to the paper, have stated that SJ did not name the judge before the committee. Legally India has not able to confirm that claim independently or authoritatively at the time of going to press.
Some newspapers also reported, quoting other unnamed sources, that SJ stated before the inquiry that “she did not wish to pursue legal remedies”, which Legally India has been unable to confirm. The ET wrote, relying on “sources close to the retired judge”:
Her desire not to press charges against the judge, whose identity ET has not disclosed for lack of independent verification, could potentially place the committee in a bind. The panel will now have no option but to drop the charges if she doesn't wish to press the charges, sources close to the retired judge said.
The committee consists of Justices RM Lodha, HL Dattu and Ranjana Desai and will convene again tomorrow (20 November) to hear further witnesses, it is understood.
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first
Why doesn't SJ press charges or name the judge?
Mr./Mrs.Jill,
The disclosure is expected of her before the committee not before you and me
Not pressing the charge may be her prerogative.
Will not maintaining silence after alleging sexual harrasement against a SC J. amount to contempt of court, when the act was alleged to have been done during the period when J. was in service?
Our judges are influential...
If culprit goes unpunished then that is the point of creating so called 'awareness'.
But anything which amounts to sexual harassment in law requires proper investigation as such crimes are not only against the individual but society/ community at large and rights of many may be jeopardized in future if no action taken....I would request all having gone thru any such harassment to come clean and bring the culprit to justice....
Let her concentrate on her sworn duty as an advocate first and worry about the rest later.
threads most popular
thread most upvoted
comment newest
first oldest
first