CJI Ranjan Gogoi Sexual Harassment Allegations: Supreme Court Appoints Retired Justice AK Patnaik to Head Inquiry Into Lawyers' Conspiracy Claim

New Delhi, April 25: With the sexual harassment case against Chief Justice of India gaining momentum, the Supreme Court on Thursday appointed retired Justice AK Patnaik to head the inquiry to probe Utsav Bains' allegations. Along with this, the apex court also directed CBI Director and the IB Chief to co-operate with Justice AK Patnaik. In the meantime, Justice RV Ramana drops out of SC's in-house panel looking into the issue.

Earlier hearing the case, the Supreme Court had made sharp observations and said there has been been a systematic attack on the judiciary in the last three-four years as it heard a case pertaining to conspiracy to frame the CJI Ranjan Gogoi in a sexual harassment case. Adding more, heading the three-judge bench, Justice Arun Mishra, asserted that powerful people can’t and will not be allowed to run the top court. CJI Ranjan Gogoi Sexual Harassment Charges: Judiciary Systematically Targeted in Last 3-4 Years, Says Supreme Court.

Slamming Solicitor General Tushar Mehta after he concluded his arguments, Justice Mishra said, "The way this institution is being treated for the last 3 to 4 years is as if this institution is going to die. People of this country should know the truth. Do the powerful of this country think they can run this country?" Adding more, Justice Mishra said, "Mr Mehta, don't provoke us to say many things."

It is to be known that the Supreme Court is hearing the matter on the sexual harassment allegation filed by a former court staffer against Chief Justice Gogoi. Calling it a conspiracy, CJI Gogoi had claimed that these attempts are being made to deactivate the office of the CJI.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2019 02:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).