New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, who is credited with covering the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute, said on Wednesday that he would not be part of the bench hearing a case related to sexual harassment allegations against him. Should have, shall we say, we all make mistakes and there is no harm in admitting it.
At the launch of his autobiography ‘Justice for the Judge’, Justice Gogoi, the first head of the judiciary of the northeastern states, spoke on all the issues including controversial issues during his tenure as the 46th Chief Justice and vehemently denied the allegation of scam . Supporters in getting Rajya Sabha nomination in lieu of Ayodhya verdict.
Lastly, I should not have been a judge on the bench (which heard the alleged sexual harassment case against him). My 45 years of hard work at the bar and bench was going to waste. It would have been better if I had not been part of the bench. we all make mistakes. At the book launch function, he told a private news channel that there is no harm in accepting it.
In 2019, she was accused of sexual harassment by a former Supreme Court employee, and as per her allegations, the Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance and constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Gogoi.
Later, a three-judge in-house committee headed by Justice SA Bobde gave him a clean chit. The other members of the committee were two women judges – Justices Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee.
The former CJI has simultaneously defended the process of the internal panel to probe the allegations, saying it has been in place for the last 20 years.
“Nobody ever gets Tom Dick and Harry investigated when they complain. The internal proceedings aren’t toothless. If found guilty, they step down and the president approves impeachment,” he said.
On the issue of executive interference in the working of the judiciary, he said there was no interference in it.
Who dares to approach Gogoi to do this and that? Who will come? I would showcase my warrior skills and call All India Radio and tell them. He said there was no interference.
Justice Gogoi said that he did not meet the Prime Minister even once during his tenure as Prime Minister and those who took selfies with the PM have now become active judges.
He said people claimed that dal mein kuch kala hai (something is wrong) when the prime minister had gone to the top court before the Rafale verdict.
‘Lentils are black. If not, what is pulse? He (Prime Minister) had come on 26 November on Constitution Day. I don’t see anything wrong with that. He said that there were some judges who took selfies with the PM and now they are activist judges.
Alleging vendetta has been leveled by all the media and newspapers, he said, adding that I was at least convinced that democracy was in danger. Similarly, I am at least convinced about the Rajya Sabha seat given to me in return for the Ayodhya verdict.
If I would have become the chairman of NHRC (National Human Rights Commission)? Would you have said the same thing? I am sick and tired of repeating that I will not do this, he said.
He said that he has been made an MP by the nomination of the President and has not joined any political party and is therefore free to express his views in favor or against the government.
On the dramatic and unprecedented January 12, 2018 press conference against the functioning of the then CJI Dipak Misra, Justice Gogoi said that he was under the impression that he would interact with journalists covering the apex court at the residence of Justice (retd) J Chelameswar. Will meet. ,
It’s so easy to say that I don’t know what I’m doing. We addressed the press and that was my view. I believed it was the right thing to do at the time. We had to call the conference because we were unable to convince the then CJI Dipak Misra regarding allocation of cases to the benches. I hope this is the last chance, he said.
Speaking about the Ayodhya case and the allegations of sidelining human rights matters, he said, “I did not revive Ayodhya. This is a responsibility my predecessor had given me and allotted a date. I had two choices of running or fighting. Justice Bobde said that I come from a family of warriors, so I fought.
He said the cases on Kashmir were allotted to an alternate bench and the matter was not allowed to hibernate.
On the crucial issue of reinstatement of a woman who had leveled allegations against him, Justice Gogoi said she was reinstated during her tenure only as her successor had received a letter seeking reappointment on humanitarian grounds.
He (Justice Bobde) asked me and I said deal with it. Justice Bobde graciously reinstated him, Justice Gogoi said.
Justice Gogoi, who hails from Dibrugarh in Assam, became the CJI on 3 October 2018 and demitted office on 17 November the following year.
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