File photo of Justice AK Ganguly
New Delhi:
Justice AK Ganguly, the retired Supreme Court judge indicted for sexual harassment, repeatedly told a young intern that he loved her, then followed her into an elevator urging her not to leave the hotel room where they were meant to be working. ("I love you," Justice Ganguly said: read former intern's affidavit)
This is what the young woman said in a signed statement to the three serving judges, as revealed by Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising in the Indian Express today. (Read the story here)
Justice Ganguly has questioned how a confidential statement was made public. "That is supposed to be confidential as it was given before a Supreme Court committee. How can it come out in the open?" When asked whether he would complain about this, the retired judge said, "What can I do? Who is listening to me?"
He has denied the charges and refused to quit as Chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission despite loud calls for his removal from Ms Jaising, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Sushma Swaraj and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Supreme Court has said it cannot take any action against him because he had retired from the top court when the sexual harassment took place, and it has no administrative control over former judges, a stand widely criticised by legal experts and women's rights activists.
The encounter took place in December last year in a five-star hotel in Delhi. The intern was meant to help Justice Ganguly with a report. The capital at the time was witnessing massive protests by hundreds of young students against the fatal gang-rape of a woman on a moving bus.
"He asked me to stay at the hotel and work all night. I declined and told him that I had to finish work quickly, and return to the PG accommodation," the young lawyer has reportedly said in her affidavit.
But Justice Ganguly allegedly pressured her to stay, have a glass of wine with him, and then later said she could share his hotel room, according to her statement.
"He caught hold of my arm, saying, 'You know that I am attracted to you, don't you? You must be thinking, what, this old man is getting drunk and saying such things. But I really like you, I love you.' When I tried to move away, he kissed my arm and repeated that he loved me," she says in her affidavit.
She adds, "The judge followed me into the elevator, repeatedly saying 'Please don't go'."
She says the next day, she texted him to say she could not continue working for him, and in response, he called her repeatedly and finally texted an apology to her.
Last month, she blogged about the incident for a website that covers legal news. The Supreme Court then appointed three judges to investigate her charges.
This is what the young woman said in a signed statement to the three serving judges, as revealed by Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising in the Indian Express today. (Read the story here)
Justice Ganguly has questioned how a confidential statement was made public. "That is supposed to be confidential as it was given before a Supreme Court committee. How can it come out in the open?" When asked whether he would complain about this, the retired judge said, "What can I do? Who is listening to me?"
He has denied the charges and refused to quit as Chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission despite loud calls for his removal from Ms Jaising, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Sushma Swaraj and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Supreme Court has said it cannot take any action against him because he had retired from the top court when the sexual harassment took place, and it has no administrative control over former judges, a stand widely criticised by legal experts and women's rights activists.
The encounter took place in December last year in a five-star hotel in Delhi. The intern was meant to help Justice Ganguly with a report. The capital at the time was witnessing massive protests by hundreds of young students against the fatal gang-rape of a woman on a moving bus.
"He asked me to stay at the hotel and work all night. I declined and told him that I had to finish work quickly, and return to the PG accommodation," the young lawyer has reportedly said in her affidavit.
But Justice Ganguly allegedly pressured her to stay, have a glass of wine with him, and then later said she could share his hotel room, according to her statement.
"He caught hold of my arm, saying, 'You know that I am attracted to you, don't you? You must be thinking, what, this old man is getting drunk and saying such things. But I really like you, I love you.' When I tried to move away, he kissed my arm and repeated that he loved me," she says in her affidavit.
She adds, "The judge followed me into the elevator, repeatedly saying 'Please don't go'."
She says the next day, she texted him to say she could not continue working for him, and in response, he called her repeatedly and finally texted an apology to her.
Last month, she blogged about the incident for a website that covers legal news. The Supreme Court then appointed three judges to investigate her charges.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
