Independence of judiciary under threat, says CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has said that reputation is the only thing which a judge has.

Justice Gogoi was speaking during a specially convened hearing in the Supreme Court where he, along with Justices Arun Mishra and Sanjiv Khanna, heard allegations of sexual harassment against him by a woman as reported by some on line portals.

He said if a judge's reputation is attacked on baseless allegations of sexual harassment, no sane person will come forward to take up judgeship.

Justice Gogoi said the independence of the judiciary was under "very serious threat" as some "bigger force" wanted to "deactivate" the office of the CJI.

Describing the allegations of sexual harassment against him as unbelievable, Justice Gogoi said that a larger conspiracy was behind it and he would not stoop too low even to deny these allegations.

The CJI said this issue has cropped up when a bench headed by him is scheduled to hear "many, many sensitive cases" next week and this was also the month of Lok Sabha elections.

Though the CJI was heading the bench, he left it to Justice Mishra to take a call on passing a judicial order.

Dictating the order, Justice Mishra said, having considered the matter, the bench refrain from passing any judicial order at this moment, leaving it to the wisdom of the media to show restraint, act responsibly as is expected from them.
(AIR)

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