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Ganguly bows out
Ganguly bows out, Supreme Court judge, Justice A K Ganguly, Justice A K Ganguly's Case. The court was hearing a PIL, filed by a woman doctor and Delhi resident M Padma Narayan Singh.
Quits WBHRC as SC denies relief
- Apex court said it’s too early to act on two PILs
- PILs sought direction to stall action against him
- A law intern had alleged sexual harassment by him
- A three-judge Supreme Court panel indicted him
Kolkata: Former Supreme Court judge, Justice A K Ganguly, who faces charges of sexual harassment by a law intern, finally relented on Monday and resigned as the Chairman of West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC).
Earlier in the day, Justice Ganguly distanced himself from a public interest litigation (PIL) petition that was filed in the Supreme Court, supporting him. The Supreme Court refused to entertain the PIL, seeking its direction to stay all proceedings against Justice Ganguly. A Bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the PIL, saying that it cannot interfere in the issue at this stage and law will take its course in the matter. "We have gone through every word of your averments and prayers. We are not inclined to go into it. It’s too early to say anything about it," the Bench said, adding that "let the law take its own course".
The court was hearing a PIL, filed by a woman doctor and Delhi resident M Padma Narayan Singh, seeking quashing of the complaint on which a three-member panel of apex court judge indicted Justice Ganguly, the Chairman of West Bengal Human Rights Commission, for unwelcome behaviour against a law intern.
The petitioner, who is a senior citizen, alleged that Ganguly has become a victim of conspiracy as he, as an arbitrator, had decided a matter between a prominent football club of Kolkata and All India Football Federation (AIFF) in which the intern had also participated.
The Bench also dismissed another similar PIL filed on the issue.
It may be recalled that Justice Ganguly had in a recent conversation with former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee conveyed his intention to resign from the WBHRC. The former AG told Ganguly that it was a "wise decision".
A three-judge Supreme Court panel had indicted Justice Ganguly by holding that the statement of the intern, both written and oral, had prima facie disclosed "an act of unwelcome behaviour (unwelcome verbal/non-verbal conduct of sex ..”
The panel submitted its report to the Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam, naming Justice Ganguly as the accused.
Incidentally, the setting up of the panel constituted the first action by the apex court of the country to institute an internal inquiry into sexual harassment charges against a presiding or former judge.
The intern’s allegations caught the attention of the nation, and protests swelled across the country for taking action against the former SC judge.
Women groups across the country supported the intern who took on a person despite his powerful credentials.
