Section 144 Imposed Outside Supreme Court After Protests Against Clean Chit to CJI Gogoi  In Sexual Harassment Case

Section 144 was imposed outside the Supreme Court (SC) following protests by a group of woman activists and lawyers against the decision of an in-house panel to clean chit to Chief Justice of India (CJI) in a sexual harassment case against him, India Today reported.

As soon as the protests started going out of control, police swung in to action and dispersed the gathering. Over 30 women activists have been detained by the police at Mandir Marg Police Station, Delhi.

An in-house Committee which probed the sexual harassment allegations raised by a former woman employee of the SC against the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in its report submitted yesterday found no substance in the allegations contained in the complain. The committee headed by Justice SA Bobde, also comprised two other SC Judges - Justices Indira Banerjee and Indu Malhotra.

The former woman employee who levelled the allegation decided not to take part in the in-house investigation claiming that was frightened by the proceedings.

Casting aspersions over the CJI’s exoneration by the committee, the protestors said the justice system in the country was in serious danger.

National Federation of India Women (NFIW) general secretary and radical left-wing activist Annie Raja ( who is also the wife of senior CPI leader D.Raja) said, “Women have waged a struggle for very long and will continue to do so for their rights. The SC committee has violated all existing norms. We want a transparent enquiry.”