Complainant in CJI harassment case withdrew appeal in one day

NEW DELHI : The former Supreme Court employee who levelled charges of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi filed an appeal against her termination on July 11 before the apex court’s Registrar, but abruptly withdrew it the very next day, HT has learnt. However, she has retained the right to re-file the appeal.

The withdrawal came after the intervention of a top government functionary, who called the former SC employee and her husband for a meeting at his residence. “They were told everything would be sorted out and they should not tarnish the image of the country by focussing attention on the case,” an aide to the complainant said.

The 36-year-old employee, who was posted at the home office of the CJI, detailed charges of sexual harassment and persecution in an affidavit that was sent to 22 judges of the apex court on April 19. In the affidavit, she also stated that her husband and his brother, both with the Delhi Police, were suspended from service soon after her termination from the Supreme Court in December 2018.

According to the affidavit, the CJI behaved inappropriately with her twice, on October 10 and 11, 2018. According to the same affidavit, the CJI’S behaviour “changed dramatically” after she resisted his advances and then began what she calls, her “persecution.”

Interestingly, her husband and brother-in-law were both re-instated in June even though the departmental inquiry