SC Closes Suo Moto Case Investigating 'Larger Conspiracy' Behind Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Ex CJI Ranjan Gogoi

The Supreme Court today closed the sou moto case registered against ex CJI Ranjan Gogoi based on sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by a former Supreme Court employee. The three-Judge bench comprising of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian was hearing the matter after a gap of 1 year and 9 months. 

The bench had to take a call on the report submitted by retired Supreme Court judge Mr AK Patnaik in October 2019. It is pertinent to mention that Mr Patnaik was tasked with the responsibility of investigating whether the sexual harassment complaint filed against Mr Gogoi was a part of a larger conspiracy to tarnish the image of the judiciary.

Although Mr Patnaik's report did not rule out the possibility of a conspiracy against the ex-chief justice of India, the veracity of allegations cannot be verified due to lack of access to electronic evidence. Hence, the apex court did not find any merit in keeping the case pending.

The Case titled "In Re: Matter Of Great Public Importance Touching Upon The Independence Of Judiciary" had caused quite a stir after Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi himself had sat on the Bench to hear the matter.

In April 2019 four news outlets published details of a complaint filed by a Supreme Court staffer.

She alleged that CJI Gogoi has sexually harassed her in October 2018 when she was working as a Junior Court Assistant. In a representation sent out to Supreme Court judges, she had detailed these allegations while seeking the initiation of an inquiry against him.

Court had registered the suo motu case based on the publication of allegations.

Initially, the case was heard by a Bench which comprised of Justice Gogoi himself. He outrightly rejected the allegations levelled against him.

This matter was later sent to another 3-judge Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra to examine the larger issue of alleged conspiracy raised by Utsav Bains.

Back then, a court-appointed committee constituted to look into the allegations had given a clean chit to Justice Gogoi.