Justice Indu Malhotra joins panel probing charges against CJI Ranjan Gogoi

NEW DELHI: Justice NV Ramana on Thursday recused himself from the three-judge in-house panel headed by Justice SA Bobde to probe the sexual harassment allegations levelled by a sacked lady staffer against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi. Justice Bobde later named Justice Indu Malhotra as the third judge on the panel.

The in-house panel was set up amid public uproar over CJI Gogoi calling for an unprecedented hearing on a court holiday — last Saturday — to deal with what he described as an attack on the judiciary. Legal experts were unanimous that the CJI could not have been a judge in the case.

Subsequently, next-in-command Justice Bobde was assigned to the probe. The complainant has complained to Justice Bobde over Justice Ramana’s alleged proximity to CJI Gogoi.


However, Justice Ramana, in a letter to other committee members, rejected the complainant’s claims as “baseless” and “unfounded”.

“My decision to recuse is only based on an intent to avoid any suspicion that this institution will not conduct itself in keeping with the highest standards of judicial propriety and wisdom,” he said. “Let my recusal be a clear message to the nation that there should be no fears about probity in our institution and that we will not refrain from going to any extent to protect the trust reposed on us.”