CJI probe: Woman complainant appears before panel

The Supreme Court woman staffer who alleged the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment appeared before the  in-house inquiry panel, which has been set up to deal with her complaint.

According to news agency PTI report quoting an official source, the in-house inquiry panel comprising of three members and headed by Justice SA Bobde, conducted its first sitting on Friday. During this sitting the complainant and the secretary general of the apex court appeared before it.

It may be noted that the panel comprises of two two women judges – Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee.

The secretary general was present before the panel with all documents and materials, said the source, adding that only the woman was present  during the hearing and the secretary general was not allowed to the proceedings. The advocate accompanying the woman to SC was also not allowed to be part of the proceedings.

It has also been informed that the in-house procedure did not contemplate representation of advocates on behalf of parties as it was not a formal judicial proceedings and that the inquiry was not time bound. The inquiry and the future course of action will depend on "what comes out of the inquiry" which will be "confidential".