Justice Ashok Ganguly, Chairman of West Bengal Human Rights Commission, arrives at his office in Kolkata on Tuesday
Hours after Justice AK Ganguly wrote to the Chief Justice of India, the law intern allegedly sexually harassed by him rebutted the points he made, most strongly, his claim that he was being targeted for his judgment against powerful interests.
The intern blogged that those spreading rumours and politicising the issue are doing so out of prejudice and malice. Angry reactions also came from legal luminaries and protesters marched in Kolkata demanding Justice Ganguly should resign.
This morning, when Justice Ganguly took a morning walk, it is not clear if he knew that the intern he had allegedly sexually harassed had already responded to his letter to the Chief Justice of India.
In that letter, Justice Ganguly had written "events clearly seem to suggest that there is a concerted move to tarnish my image as I had the unfortunate duty of rendering certain judgments against powerful interests."
To that the intern blogged back saying, "Those who have been spreading rumours and politicising the issue, are doing so out of prejudice and malice to obfuscate the issue and escape scrutiny and accountability."
(Read former law intern's blog against Justice Ganguly's conspiracy claims)Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee also hit out. "(Justice) Ganguly is claiming and his few loyalists are from the CPM party who are backing him, they are saying that he had delivered a very sensitive judgment. What is that judgment? 2G scam judgment. That main judgment was delivered by Justice Singhvi, not Justice Ganguly," he said, adding, "Ganguly's letter to the chief justice is nothing but an afterthought."
Noted lawyer Harish Salve was also scathing in his tweet. "Justice Ganguly's intemperate allegations against the intern are absurd. While some of those nailed for corruption may be cocking a snook at his discomfiture, to suggest that the intern is acting at their behest is preposterous."
Meanwhile, protests in Kolkata by the All India Legal Aid Forum and an ultimatum. If Justice Ganguly does not resign by January 6, when the state Human Rights Commission reopens after vacations, they will not let him enter office.