Retired Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly, accused of sexually harassing an intern
The BJP has said former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly, who is facing allegations of sexually harassing a law intern, should resign as the chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
"I strongly feel that Justice AK Ganguli should resign as Chairman of WB Human Rights Commission. Not only Caesar's wife but Caesar too must be above suspicion," tweeted BJP's Sushma Swaraj last night.
Justice Ganguly has testified before three Supreme Court judges investigating allegations that he sexually harassed a young lawyer in a hotel room in December. She complained against the 66-year-old in a blog earlier this month, without naming him. The judges panel submitted its report to Chief Justice P Sathasivam on Friday.
Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee has said that the judge need not resign only on the basis of allegations.
"Mere accusations must not necessitate his resignation. What a dangerous precedent it will be... Merely to say any person should resign merely on making of an allegation which is denied by the party is not fair," Mr Sorabjee told NDTV.
"Unless the man admits it, like Tarun Tejpal, then it is a different matter."
The inquiry against Justice Ganguly began just days before Tehelka founder
Tarun Tejpal was accused of raping a younger colleague. Both cases, emerging in close succession, ignited a national debate on men in positions of power violating women in the workplace.
Justice Ganguly, who retired last year, was on the bench which delivered a landmark verdict in February 2012, cancelling 122 licenses for mobile networks, on the grounds that they had been allocated without transparency.
"I am totally innocent. I have worked with several interns in my life...I treat them like my children," Justice Ganguly said last week, after the Supreme Court revealed him to be the accused judge.
"Please don't compare this with Tejpal's case, please" he said to NDTV.