Ranjan Gogoi sexual harassment case: Can't rule out conspiracy against ex-CJI, says Supreme Court

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court on Thursday closed the suo motu proceedings initiated in the sexual harassment case against former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi. The court had registered the case back in 2019 on Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s request to examine the alleged conspiracy against the judiciary in the wake of sexual harassment allegations that had surfaced against Gogoi.

The possibility of a conspiracy could not be ruled out, the top court said, adding it could be linked to Justice Gogoi’s decisions, including his views on the NRC. However, the case was being closed as nearly two years had passed and the possibility of retrieving electronic records was very little, it said.

The court made the decision based on the report of former Justice AK Patnaik, who was tasked with probing a larger conspiracy in the allegations against Gogoi and whether middlemen and fixers working with disgruntled court officials were trying to fix judges.

The Patnaik panel was not able to get electronic records to probe the conspiracy to frame the ex-CJI, the bench said. The court said since the in-house inquiry committee had also gone into the merit of sexual harassment charges, no purpose would be served in continuing the suo motu proceedings.

“We are of the view no true purpose would be served. Pleadings are closed and suo motu disposed of. The report be put in sealed cover,” the court said, while disposing of the case.