Never harassed any female intern: AK Ganguly to Chief Justice of India

Kolkata: Retired Justice AK Ganguly has finally spoken out. In an eight-page letter to the Chief Justice of India, with a copy to the President, Justice Ganguly questions the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court panel and says he feels he may be the target of a concerted move to tarnish his image because he had given judgments against powerful interests.

"I am anguished that the Supreme Court under your Lordship did not address me correctly," he says in his letter to Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam. (Read full letter)

"I have never harassed nor did I make any unwelcome advances to any female intern," he says, adding, "The very suggestion of it, to say the least, is out of tune with my personal conduct."

He questions the need for the Supreme Court to set up the three-judge panel and its jurisdiction over a retired judge and a former intern who was not on the Supreme Court's rolls.

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"I responded to the request of the Committee to appear before it in good faith... but I am sorry to point out that the conduct of the officials of the court and the proceedings before the Committee were far from appropriate.

"As soon as I entered the Supreme Court, I was surrounded by a posse of security officers which was unbecoming of the institution. I was treated almost like a person in captivity. Has this been done under your Lordship's direction? I hope not," Justice Ganguly writes.

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He questions the fact that the Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising had made public the intern's affidavit. "Was it with your approval," he asks the Chief Justice of India.

Justice Ganguly also points out that the intern's affidavit is dated November 29, notarised in Bangalore while the Supreme Court panel had ruled in the matter on November 27.

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Finally, Justice Ganguly also hints that he may be a target of vested interests.

"The... 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," he writes adding, ".....if that triggers a collateral attack on me then it poses a threat to the independence of the judiciary."

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Ms Jaising, meanwhile, refused to comment on the matter. She only said, "...the intern authorised me to disclose her statement as she was distressed by the fact that powerful persons including former chief justices and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha came out in Justice Ganguly's support casting doubts on her credibility."

The Chief Justice of India is expected to respond to Justice Ganguly's letter post-Christmas.

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