Meet on Child Sexual Crimes

Underlining the role of the police and media in protecting children from sexual offences, High Court chief justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta has said that sexual offences against children have shot up in the last 20 years and such offences have to be curbed by creating awareness among the parents to protect their children.

The Andhra Pradesh State Legal Services Authority and the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy (APPA) jointly conducted a sensitisation programme for the stakeholders on Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 at APPA here on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, justice Sengupta said that elaborate discussions needed to be held on sexual offences on child at schools, rural localities, hospitals to create awareness among the parents and others to prevent such offences. “Media and police have to play a key role in preventing such offences,” the chief justice said but cautioned the media to publish such news after confirming the information whether it is bona fide or not.

Director-general of police B Prasada Rao said that hundreds of children were getting addicted to vices due to neglect by their parents who both worked and spent more time in office than at home. More and more children were losing their parental affection as they were being taken care of by maids and wardens, he said.

‘’Addiction to surfing on the Internet, mobile phones, TV and films might have been one of the reasons for the children to acquire vices. When police receive complaints of child sexual harassment, they should take serious action against the accused and provide better medical facilities to the victims with the assistance of district child welfare officials,” the DGP said.

More: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Meet-on-Child-Sexual-Crimes/2013/12/30/article1972624.ece

India prayers for Delhi gang rape victim

Women's groups and citizens are holding vigils across Delhi in the memory of a female Indian student who died a year ago after she was gangraped on a bus.

Her family, which is planning a small memorial service, told the BBC that they wanted to keep her memory alive as long as possible.

A small vigil would also be held at the bus stand where she boarded the vehicle on which she was attacked.

The assault triggered intense protests across the country.

It also led to the setting up of stringent anti-rape laws and special fast-track courts.

The 23-year-old medical student was attacked on a moving bus by six men while she was returning home after watching a film with a male friend who was also beaten up.

Four of the six attackers were given the death penalty in September. One of the attackers was found dead in his prison cell earlier this year.

The sixth rapist, a juvenile at the time of the crime, is serving a three-year sentence in a reformation home.

On Monday, exactly a year after the attack, Mumbai-based theatre and protest music group Swaang and Delhi-based cultural group Majma have organised "a show of strength by the citizens of Delhi - women and men - to claim back the streets of Delhi".

Well-known musicians would perform on a moving trailer, retracing the fatal journey of the victim, through the streets of Delhi, the organisers said.

The journey will begin at the mall where the woman had watched the film and conclude at the road crossing in Mahipalpur area where the victim and her friend were thrown out of the bus.

Dozens of people have also gathered at Delhi monument Jantar Mantar to remember the victim.

Although India has introduced tougher anti-rape laws and the society is more openly discussing cases of violence against women, correspondents say women across India still live with the daily fear of sexual assault and the victims still often have to deal with police apathy.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-25397849

Sexual harassment case: Justice AK Ganguly on ‘leave’

Facing criticism for allegedly sexually harassing a law intern, retired Supreme Court judge Justice AK Ganguly has gone on leave.

Ganguly went on two-day leave, starting Friday, citing personal reasons, according to a news report.

Currently serving as the chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, pressure has been mounting on him to quit the post in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment.

When questioned about his resignation, Ganguly refused to comment on the issue and said that he had suffered a lot and sought privacy.

"Don't disturb me. I have gone through a lot," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress and Trinamool Congress have asked him to step down from his post after the apex court panel indicted him on the basis of prima facie evidence.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/sexual-harassment-case-justice-ak-ganguly-on-leave_894982.html

Petition to Goa governor over Tejpal case

The probe into allegations of rape against Tehelka editor-in-chiefTarun Tejpal should be shifted from the Crime Branch and that BJPspokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi should be arrested, a petition submitted to the Goa governor said.

The petition was submitted Wednesday by a city lawyer and former head of the National Students Council of India (NSUI) Sunil Kawthankar. He had also filed a complaint against Lekhi at the Crime Branch for leaking the name of the journalist woman, who accused Tarun Tejpal of sexual assault, on Twitter.

The petition said that a key officer heading the Tejpal case has handled "quite a few high profile cases" in the past, but claims that most of the cases did not end in conviction.

Kawthankar further claimed that the officer was part of the Crime Branch unit which has been indicted by a House Committee report on drugs for not doing enough to nip the drug mafia in Goa in the bud.

"Such an officer cannot be relied upon to investigate such an sensitive case as it is feared that the victim may get a raw deal at her hands," according to the petition.

The explosive House Committee report which was tabled in the state legislative assembly exposes a nexus between police, politicians and the drug mafia in Goa.

It has said that the several Crime Branch officers who were entrusted with probing key cases related to narcotics trade were hand-in gloves with drug dealers.

The petition also sought action under section 228(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)against Lekhi for being insensitive to the sentiments of the woman journalist and said that a complaint filed by him against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had not been taken cognizance of by the Crime Branch.

"Lekhi is a senior BJP Leader and the state government which is ruled by BJP will try to protect her by all means. I, thereby, request you to intervene in this matter and order her arrest as such an act must be dealt with Iron fist in order to serve as a deterrent and to protect the respect and sentiments of Indian women," the petitioner has said.

More: http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/petition-to-goa-governor-over-tejpal-case-113120500106_1.html

Sexual harassment: Former SC judge AK Ganguly denies charges, TMC demands resignation

Retired Justice AK Ganguly, accused by a young woman intern of sexually harassing her, is now facing the ire of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, which has demanded his resignation. The former Supreme Court judge is the Chairman of state human rights panel.

"He has no moral right to continue as the chief of the human rights panel. What he did is a big blot to the judicial system of the country and a person who himself is an accused should not be allowed to determine about others' rights," said Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee.

TMC’s demand comes after Justice Ganguly’s name was made public on Friday by an official of the apex court. He disclosed that the panel set up by the top court had recorded statements of the intern as well as the retired judge.

A three-member panel that probed the charge of sexual harassment of a young lawyer by a Supreme Court judge, now retired, has identified Ganguly as the judge.

The Mamata Banerjee-led state government and the rights panel do not share a cordial relationship. Besides making several recommendations against it, Ganguly has been vociferous in deriding the Banerjee regime over several issues including the rising crime chart.

As soon as the name became public, Justice Ganguly, who now heads the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, expressed "shock" over the allegation and said he was "shattered".

"I am denying everything. I have told the committee that all the allegations levelled by the intern are wrong. I don't know how such allegations have been levelled against me," he told a news agency.

"I totally deny the allegations. I am a victim of situations," he told television channels.

"I am not ashamed of anything," he said in reply to a question in regard to the alleged episode which came out in public domain after the intern spoke about in a legal portal earlier this month.

He said the charges against him were totally wrong. The girl had not raised any sexual harassment issue with him, he said, adding that he had not done any physical harm to her.

The former judge said the intern worked with him though she was not officially allocated to him. She came in the place of another intern who had gone abroad after marriage. "I never put up a poster. She came on her own."

He said the girl had come to his house on a number of occasions in connection with the work.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/sexual-harassment-former-sc-judge-ak-ganguly-denies-charges-tmc-guns-for-head_893335.html

Tehelka case LIVE: Order on Tarun Tejpal's bail plea at 4:30 pm

11:53 am: 'CCTV footage confirms sexual assault'

In Goa court, Public Prosecutor Saresh Lotlikar argues that CCTV footage confirms sexual assault charge against Tejpal to a certain extent.

11:48 am: Did we insert a demon into Tarun Tejpal, asks Balbir Punj

Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Balbir Punj hits out at social activist Medha Patekar, asking did BJP insert a demon into Tarun Tejpal to sexually harass a young girl. On Friday, Patkar had accused the BJP of settling scores with Tejpal for the magazine's earlier sting operations against the party.

11:40 am: Prosecution denies embellishments

All versions of journalist's statement are similar, no embellishments of any sort, says prosecution. The defence counsel had yesterday accused the victim of fabricating the complaint. “Journalists can write well with embellishments,” the defence had argued.

Arguing that while Tejpal is changing colours like a chameleon, the prosecution says victim's versions are consistent. "The accused has been changing colours like a chameleon through different statements," he says, adding the victim has been consistent in her statements. If the lady were to react during the fest, there could have been possible commotion, says the public prosecutor. The lady journalist is the sole bread-winner of the family, notes the prosecutor. Prosecution also gives Goa court an assessment of CCTV footage, on paper.

Tejpal's lawyer's arguments are such 'that he thought the trial had started', says public prosecutor. Calling it a prima facie case, prosecution tells court that the Goa Police wants Tejpal to be arrested for custodial interrogation.

11:36 am: Why was Tejpal running away from law, asks Kirti Azad

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former cricketer Kirti Azad claimed that Tehelka magazine founder editor Tarun Tejpal was looking for ways to evade the law in connection with his role in a sexual harassment and assault case filed against him earlier this month, and asked why he was doing so.

"The first thing is that why was Tarun Tejpal running away. There is something called culture which we still abide by and maintain in India. And due to this, girls generally do not come out with these kind of complaints. And, if she (the victim) did it, is very good and much appreciated," said Azad.

11:30 am: Prosecution begins arguments

Tarun Tejpal's lawyer finishes arguments. Prosecution begins arguments.

11:29 am: Delhi Police politically prosecuting me, says Jolly

A day after giving a clarification on his black paint protest outside the residence of former Tehelka managing editor Shoma Chaudhury, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Jolly said that police in Delhi were politically prosecuting and persecuting him at the behest of the ruling Congress Party.

"They (Delhi Police) are using the tactics of pressurising me. I believe that it is a case of political prosecution by Delhi Police under instructions from the Congress. It is a conspiracy to keep me away from the election (December 4 state Assembly polls). I totally condemn this," said Jolly.

10:54 am: Tejpal ready to stay in Goa, says lawyer

Tarun Tejpal is ready to stay in Goa or wherever the court wants, or seize passport if needed, says lawyer. The editor's lawyers plead for extension of interim protection, say arrest should be the last option. "There should not be any fear that he (Tejpal) will tamper with witnesses or evidence," the defence lawyer says.

10:28 am: Tejpal reaches Goa court

After visiting the Crime Branch office, Tarun Tejpal reaches Goa court which is hearing his anticipatory bail plea.

10:20 am: 14-day custody of Tejpal sought

Prosecution seeks 14-day custody of Tarun Tejpal.

10:12 am: Tejpal's anticipatory bail hearing resumes

Tarun Tejpal's anticipatory bail hearing resumes. His wife and sister are also present in court.

10:08 am: Tarun Tejpal's lawyers arrive in court

Tarun Tejpal's lawyers arrive in Goa court ahead of his bail hearing.

10:00 am: Crime branch team in Goa court

The Crime Branch team reaches Goa Sessions Court before the hearing begins.

9:33 am: High security outside Goa court

Security has been tightened outside the North Goa District and Sessions court ahead of bail plea hearing of Tehelka founder-editor Tarun Tejpal, who faces allegations of sexual assault.

9:28 am: Tejpal leaves Crime Branch office

Tarun Tejpal leaves Goa Crime Branch office. Police sources said Tejpal was not quizzed and stayed for 10 minutes. Outside the office, Tejpal tells reporters that he would do whatever his lawyers deem fit. He further vowed to cooperate in investigation. The magazine editor adds that he does not need to make an appearance in the court. "I just need to join the crime branch investigation, which I have done," says Tejpal.

9:15 am: Tejpal reaches Goa Crime Branch office

Tarun Tejpal reaches Goa Crime Branch office. He is accompanied by three people, which included his brother Minty Tejpal and members of his legal team.

9:00 am: Crime Branch personnel outside Goa hotel

A team of Crime Branch is outside the hotel where Tarun Tejpal is staying with his family.

7:40 am: Tejpal's interim bail ends at 10 am

Accused of rape and of dodging the Goa Police, Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal's interim bail ends at 10 am on Saturday.

Tejpal arrived in Panaji on Friday, which saw rapid developments across New Delhi and Goa, packed with action, suspense and legal battles.

An elusive Tejpal kept both the media and police in Goa and Delhi guessing for most of the Friday morning before surfacing at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport around noon to board an IndiGo airline flight.

A pale-looking Tejpal, wearing a black shirt and his trademark pony tail, was accompanied by his wife Geetan, sister Neena, brother Minty and others. He made a short but agitated statement to the media.

"I got the summons yesterday. I said I am going to Goa. And I am going to Goa," Tejpal had said, before boarding at 2.30 pm a flight also ferrying media crew and Goa Police officials.

When he landed in Goa, it was to a chorus of protests orchestrated by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists who raised slogans against the veteran journalist known for sting operations.

He was escorted out of the airport through a less conspicuous exit. Tejpal was taken to the Crime Branch office where he was questioned by the investigating officer, Inspector Sunita Sawant.

His legal team was present all through the session.

About 35 km away in Panaji, while granting interim bail to Tejpal, North Goa District and Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudessai heard the anticipatory bail plea for nearly an hour and a half, listening to arguments put forth by the prosecution and defense lawyers.

While the prosecution pressed for custodial interrogation, the defence raised a spectrum of points ranging from Tejpal's alleged political victimisation to accusing the victim of fabricating the rape case, even calling the new anti-rape law "draconian".

During the proceedings, the judge blasted the defence counsel for reading out the name of the victim from the FIR.

7:30 am: BJP's Vijay Jolly to appear before police

The Delhi Police on Friday interrogated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Jolly and asked him to again appear on Saturday to record his statement for defacing the name plate of Tehelka's former managing editor Shoma Chaudhury's residence.

Replying to a question if Jolly will be arrested, a police officer said: "We have registered a case against him and if needed, he will be arrested."

A case under the IPC and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act was registered against Jolly at the police station on Thursday evening.

Officials said policemen have been deployed outside Chaudhury's house and one has been deputed for her security.

Around 50 BJP members, led by Jolly, reached Chaudhury's house in Saket on Thursday and raised slogans against her. Jolly painted the name plate black and also wrote a word with black paint. He also poured black paint outside Chaudhary's house.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/tehelka-case-live-tarun-tejpal-changing-colours-like-a-chameleon_893326.html

Tehelka case: Goa cops in Delhi with arrest warrant, but Tarun Tejpal not at home

Armed with a non-bailable arrest warrant, a seven-member team of the Goa Police arrived early this morning at the south Delhi residence of Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, but did not find him at home.

After about an hour of talking to his wife and family, the cops left for Goa Sadan where they are camped. Sources said Mr Tejpal's family refused to reveal where he is.

The police team is now expected to speak to the Tehelka founder's other relatives, but are working on the premise, sources said, that he might have left Delhi and could even be at a home he owns in Himachal Pradesh.

If Mr Tejpal is not found soon, the Goa Police could issue a lookout notice for him and alert police stations across the country.

Mr Tejpal, who stepped down as Tehelka's editor last week, is accused of raping a younger colleague in Goa earlier this month. The Goa Police said he would be arrested after he failed to meet a 3 pm deadline yesterday to appear for interrogation.

He had sought time till Saturday, but the Goa Police denied him the extension and he said last evening that he would make himself available for interrogation after lunch today. (Read full text of Tarun Tejpal's letter to the police)

The senior journalist has denied the charges of rape against him, and said that the encounter that's being described as rape was "light hearted bantering." (Read: Only "light-hearted bantering" not sexual assault, says Tarun Tejpal)

The young journalist who has accused him of sexual assault has ardently challenged his version of events, and accused Tehelka and her boss, Shoma Chaudhury, of trying to engineer a cover-up. She quit Tehelka earlier this week. (Tehelka journalist who accused founder of sexual assault resigns)

Ms Chaudhury also resigned yesterday from Tehelka after days of being pelted with criticism for her handling of the reporter's complaint, sent to her via an email that was leaked. (Full text: resignation letter sent by woman journalist to Tehelka)

That email was used by the Goa Police to file an FIR against Mr Tejpal.

More: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/tehelka-case-goa-police-team-at-tarun-tejpal-s-residence-possible-arrest-today-452266

Tehelka controversy LIVE: Shoma Chaudhury rejects allegations of cover-up, resigns

8:25 am: 'Shoma Chaudhury resigns'

Tehelka's managing editor Shoma Chaudhury resigns from her post. In an e-mail she sent to her colleagues just before 6 am today, Chaudhury said she didn't want questions raised about her integrity to "tarnish the image of Tehelka". Saying this had been a "damaging" time for everyone associated with the magazine, the resignation e-mail says: "To my mind, I acted on instant outrage and solidarity for our colleague as a woman and co-worker."

"After the first steps to immediately address her expressed needs, the process of setting up the anti-sexual harassment committee was begun. There were only two days to act on the complaint before the story broke in the press. Post this, things have been misconstrued and have snowballed exponentially in the media, based on half-facts and selective leaks," Chaudhury says.

She further denied allegations of attempting a "cover-up", saying: "While I accept that I could have done many things differently and in a more measured way, I reject the allegations of a cover-up because in no way could the first actions that were taken be deemed suppression of any kind. As for my feminist positions, I believe I acted in consonance with them by giving my colleague’s account precedence over everything else."

7:50 am: Tarun Tejpal's deadline to appear before Goa Police ends today

After the former Tehelka woman journalist recorded her statement before a Goa magistrate, the Goa police on Wednesday issued summons to the magazine's founder-editor Tarun Tejpal to appear before the crime branch of Goa Police for questioning.

Tejpal has been told to appear at Dona Paula, in Panaji, before 3 pm on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had reserved its order on a plea for anticipatory bail by Tejpal who is battling charges of sexual assault.

The court also declined to grant four weeks interim protection to Tejpal against arrest by the Goa Police.

Justice Sunita Gupta reserved the order for November 29 after hearing counsel representing Tejpal and Goa Police.

Meanwhile, under attack over the way she handled the issue, Tehelka's managing editor Shoma Chaudhury denied indulging in character assassination of her colleague who has pressed charges against Tejpal.

The victim, who gave her statement to the police in Mumbai on Tuesday, was flown to Goa on Tuesday night quietly. On Wednesday, she appeared along with a lady police officer before a judicial magistrate.

A statement recorded before a judicial magistrate makes it admissible in court as evidence and is a preferred legal route in case of sensitive crimes.

12:43 am: Shoma Chaudhary may not attend IIM-A media confluence event

Tehelka magazine's managing editor Shoma Chaudhary would not be present at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad media confluence scheduled for November 30.

Tehelka's editor Tarun Tejpal has been accused of sexually assaulting his employee women journalist and Shoma Chaudhary could be busy with the issue, sources said.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/tehelka-controversy-live-shoma-chaudhury-rejects-allegations-of-cover-up-resigns_892846.html

Goa CM wants Tejpal case fast tracked

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar wants the sexual assault case against Tehelka editor-in-chief to be fast-tracked. He also rejected Tarun Tejpal’s claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was pressuring police to act against him.

“Such high profile cases should not be dragged on. They are basically a shocker to public faith,” Mr. Parrikar said, suggesting that fast tracking the case was a possibility.

“I don’t come under pressure from anyone. My only instruction to them (police) is to not get pressurised due to the position of the accused. Do it without fear and favour. That’s all,” Mr. Parrikar said.

Mr. Tejpal in his anticipatory bail application filed before the Delhi High Court Tuesday had said that Tehelka’s crusading journalism and his opposing ideology was the reason why the BJP was using police to nail him.

“Instant investigation being carried out by the Goa Police is patently tainted, unfair and is being used as an opportunity to satisfy the long standing grudge of the political executive against the works and ideological stand of the present applicant,” Mr. Tejpal’s application had said.

The anticipatory bail hearing is expected to be held Wednesday.

Mr. Parrikar also said that the charge made against him about taking a keen interest in the Tejpal case and seeking hourly briefings from police was false.

“If anything like that can ever be proved, I will quit politics. I believe that law should be followed in letter and principle,” Mr. Parrikar said.

Mr. Tejpal is accused of sexually assaulting a colleague journalist.

More: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/goa-cm-wants-tejpal-case-fast-tracked/article5396515.ece

Urvashi Butalia refuses to head Tehelka panel to probe sexual assault charge against Tejpal

On Monday, the young Tehelka journalist, who accused her Tejpal of sexually assaulting her earlier this month at a Goa hotel, resigned saying she was "deeply traumatized by the lack of support offered by the organization".

Tehelka's photo editor Ishan Tankha, one of the people the young woman confided in immediately after the alleged assaults, also resigned.

In her resignation letter, emailed to Chaudhury and a handful of senior editors, the young woman reiterated that she is not satisfied with the measures taken by Chaudhury to address her trauma.

"Given the sequence of events since the 7th of November, it is not just Mr Tejpal who has failed me as an employer - but Tehelka that has failed women, employees, journalists and feminists collectively," the journalist wrote. Chaudhury refused to respond to calls and text messages asking if the young woman's resignation has been accepted.

Expressing hurt at the way Chaudhury let her down despite promising to do the "right thing", the young woman says in her letter: "His (Tejpal's) public acknowledgement of the apology did not include any reference to his grievous sexual misconduct, and you had still failed to set up an anti-sexual harassment cell as per Vishaka guidelines. This could, in no way, have left me satisfied… You continued to ignore my rebuttals to these emails, while insisting, in public, that I was satisfied."

The young woman further writes: "Over the past years, we have collectively defended the rights of women, written about custodial rape and sexual molestation at the workplace."

"We have spoken out harshly against the culture of victim blame and the tactical emotional intimidation and character assassination of those who dare to speak out against sexual violence… at a time when I find myself victim to such a crime, I am shattered to find the editor in chief of Tehelka, and you - in your capacity as managing editor- resorting to precisely these tactics of intimidation, character assassination and slander," she wrote.

The Goa Police that is investigating the case said that it will take the young woman to Panjim on Tuesday to record her statement.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/urvashi-butalia-refuses-to-head-tehelka-panel-to-probe-sexual-assault-charge-against-tejpal/article1-1155719.aspx

SC panel to probe intern's sexual harassment claim

A law intern’s allegation that a recently-retired Supreme Court judge sexually harassed her in a hotel room in New Delhi in December has snowballed into a major controversy with the court on Tuesday setting up a panel of three sitting judges to look into the matter.

“As head of the institution, I am also concerned about the allegation,” Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam said after attorney general GE Vahanvati mentioned it before his bench.

“It is an extremely serious matter and you have to look at it seriously,” Vahanvati, who has filed a petition seeking an inquiry, said.

The woman, who graduated from National University of Juridical Sciences (Kolkata) this year, made the allegation in a blog post in the Journal of Indian Law and Society, and later in an interview to a website, but did not name the judge. She said the incident took place on December 24, 2012 — a time when the entire nation was on the boil over the 16/12 gang rape.

“… Interning during the winter vacations of my final year in university, I dodged police barricades and fatigue to go to the assistance of a highly reputed, recently retired Supreme Court judge I was working under. For my supposed diligence, I was rewarded with sexual assault (not physically injurious, but nevertheless violating) from a man old enough to be my grandfather,” she wrote.

She also wrote she’d taken the “cowardly” decision not to wage a legal battle, but later chose to speak out.

“We are anxious (to know) if the statement is true or not,” the SC bench told Vahanvati, adding that a committee comprising justice RM Lodha, justice HL Dattu and justice Ranjana Prakash Desai would look into it and submit a report within two weeks.

"In cases of sexual harassment, we cannot take it lightly...We are taking steps,” it said. The court will hear the AG’s petition after two weeks.

Retired Delhi high court judge Justice RS Sodhi said, “I feel it is highly scandalous to pull down an institution (judiciary) of this magnitude and nature.

An intern is virtually nothing in the judicial hierarchy. To come up after months with scandalous allegations is only wild card publicity for the reason that the man (judge) is so big that even a fly can hit him. Any scandalous utterances can shake the nation’s confidence in the institution.”

“If it’s true, it’s shameful and shocking,” justice Usha Mehra, also a retired Delhi HC judge, said.

However, she added, “It’s difficult to believe what she said, but what she alleged should be investigated and the person concerned be taken to task. If she is bold enough to reveal the incident, she should have named the judge. Let the person be identified and condemned. The judiciary as a whole should not be painted black.”

What the lawyer has said in her blog

Sometimes the most difficult things to write about are also the most essential. I feel this is especially true when many people, much more scholarly than oneself, have already said and written a lot around the issue, and yet your own experience does not seem to fit into the wide net that they’ve cast. Gandhi once said “I have something far more powerful than arguments, namely, experience”. And it is from these words that I derive what I consider the ‘value’ of this piece – not my experience per se, but from what I feel that my experience can tell us about much discussed issues in the country today.

Last December was momentous for the feminist movement in the country – almost an entire population seemed to rise up spontaneously against the violence on women, and the injustices of a seemingly apathetic government. In the strange irony of situations that our world is replete with, the protests were the backdrop of my own experience.

In Delhi at that time, interning during the winter vacations of my final year in University, I dodged police barricades and fatigue to go to the assistance of a highly reputed, recently retired Supreme Court judge whom I was working under during my penultimate semester.

For my supposed diligence, I was rewarded with sexual assault (not physically injurious, but nevertheless violating) from a man old enough to be my grandfather. I won’t go into the gory details, but suffice it to say that long after I’d left the room, the memory remained, in fact, still remains, with me.

So what bothered me about this incident? As a conditioned member of the society, I had quickly “gotten over” the incident. But was that what worried me: that I had accepted what was essentially an ‘unacceptable’ situation. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the crux of my unease lay in my inability to find a frame in which to talk, or even think, about my experience.

While the incident affected me deeply, I felt little anger and almost no rancour towards the man; instead I was shocked and hurt that someone I respected so much would do something like this. My strongest reaction really, was overwhelming sadness. But this sort of response was new to me.

That I could understand his actions and forgive him for them, or that I could continue to think of him as an essentially ‘good’ person, seemed a naïve position that were completely at odds with what I had come to accept was the “right” reaction to such incidents.

This emotional response was also completely at odds with the powerful feelings of righteous anger that the protestors in Delhi displayed. I am not trying to say that anger at the violence that women face is not a just or true response, but the polarization of women’s rights debates in India along with their intense emotionality, left me feeling that my only options were to either strongly condemn the judge or to betray my feminist principles.

Perhaps this confusion came out of an inadequate understanding of feminist literature, but if so, isn’t then my skewed perception a failing of feminism itself? If the shared experiences of women cannot be easily understood through a feminist lens, then clearly there is a cognitive vacuum that feminism fails to fill.

Feminists talk of the guilt a woman faces when sexually harassed, like it is her fault. I felt a similar guilt, except, my guilt wasn’t at being assaulted, but at not reacting more strongly than I did. The very perspective that was meant to help me make sense of my experiences as a woman was the one that obscured the resolution of the problem in my own mind, presumably an effect that feminism does not desire.

And if not a result of feminist theory itself, the form that it has taken in India, especially after recent incidents of sexual assault, strengthened the feeling of “If you’re not with us, you’re against us” in a fight that I feel I can no longer take sides in.

All the talk during that time was of stricter punishment, of baying for the blood of “creepy” men. Five years of law school had taught me to look to the law for all solutions – even where I knew that the law was hopelessly inadequate – and my reluctance to wage a legal battle against the judge left me feeling cowardly.

On reflection though, I cannot help but wonder why I should have felt that way. As mentioned earlier, I bore, and still bear, no real ill-will towards the man, and had no desire to put his life’s work and reputation in question. On the other hand, I felt I had a responsibility to ensure that other young girls were not put in a similar situation.

But I have been unable to find a solution that allows that. Despite the heated public debates, despite a vast army of feminist vigilantes, despite new criminal laws and sexual harassment laws, I have not found closure. The lack of such an alternative led to my facing a crippling sense of intellectual and moral helplessness.

The incident is now a while behind me, and they say time heals all wounds. But during the most difficult emotional times, what helped me most was the ‘insensitivity’ of a close friend whose light-hearted mocking allowed me to laugh at an incident (and a man) that had caused me so much pain.

Allowing myself to feel more than just anger at a man who violated me, something that I had never done before, is liberating! So, I want to ask you to think of one thing alone – when dealing with sexual violence, can we allow ourselves to embrace feelings beyond or besides anger, and to accept the complexity of emotions that we face when dealing with any traumatic experience?

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-panel-to-probe-intern-s-sexual-harassment-claim/article1-1150218.aspx

SC forms panel to probe into alleged sexual harassment of lawyer

The Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a three-member panel to look into the allegations of sexual harassment made by a woman lawyer against one of its judges, who has now retired.

According to reports, the three-member SC panel consists of Justices RM Lodha, HL Dattu and Ranjana P Desai. The panel will start working from today evening.

The announcement in this regard was made by CJI P Sathashivam, who said the panel will go into the whole affair, verify the facts and prepare the report.

"As the head of the institution, I am also concerned about the allegation and anxious whether the statement is true or not," the CJI said.

The development comes in the wake of allegations made by a young woman lawyer, who said that she was sexually harassed by a Supreme Court judge who has now retired.

The girl, who graduated from Kolkata-based National University of Juridical Sciences this year, said that she was doing internship with the apex court judge when she was sexually harassed by him in December last year.

The lawyer had made these charges against the SC judge in question first in her blog on November 6 for 'Journal of Indian Law and Society' and repeated it later in an interview to the website 'Legally India'.

The girl had alleged that the judge, who was "old enough to be her grandfather", harassed her in a hotel room at a time when Delhi and the entire nation was on the boil over the December 16 gang-rape case.

The victim, who even terms herself as a 'coward' for not initially raking up the issue, decided to speak out as she felt she had a responsibility to ensure that other young girls are not put in a similar situation.

When asked why she kept mum against her alleged tormentor, the girl, currently a fellow with 'Natural Justice: Lawyers for Communities and the Environment', said she kept silent because of the authority the judge commanded and that she was too stunned at the time to even react with anger.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/sc-forms-panel-to-probe-into-alleged-sexual-harassment-of-lawyer_889356.html