Don't Probe Sexual Harassment Allegations Against CJI In The Absence Of Complainant : Justices Chandrachud, Nariman

[UPDATE : The report of Justices Chandrachud and Nariman both meeting Justice Bobde has been denied as false by a later press statement issued by the SC Secretary General]

Supreme Court judges Justices D Y Chandrachud and R F Nariman have expressed their objections regarding the decision of the inquiry panel headed by Justice Bobde to proceed ex-parte to probe the sexual harassment allegations against the Chief Justice of India, reports the Indian Express.

Quoting sources, it is reported that both the judges met the inquiry panel of Justices Bobde, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee and discussed their concerns about the probe continuing despite the decision of the complainant to refuse to participate in the proceedings and said that such a procedure "hurts Supreme Courts' name".

Last week, the former SC staff had decided to withdraw from the enquiry citing several concerns, such as the panel not following Visakha guidelines and POSH Act, rejection of her request for a lawyer etc.

In a press release, she has said that she felt "intimidated and nervous in the presence of three Hon'ble Judges of the Supreme Court and without having a lawyer or support person".

"I felt I was not likely to get justice from this committee and so I am no longer participating in the 3 Judge Committee proceedings", the complainant said.

Despite that, the Committee had reportedly examined the CJI, who rebutted the allegations against him.

It was on April 23 that a panel of Justices Bobde, Ramana and Indira Banerjee was constituted by the CJI to probe the allegations levelled by the former staff.

Later, the woman addressed a letter to Justice Bobde objecting to the inclusion of Justice Ramana in the in-house panel and had claimed that he was a frequent visitor of the residence of the CJI and is a "close friend of the CJI and is like a family member to him". She had also pointed out that on April 20, the day her affidavit was sent to the Supreme Court judges, Justice Ramana, speaking in Hyderabad, had dismissed her allegations.

This led to the recusal of Justice Ramana, who was replaced by Justice Indu Malhotra.