‘Ready to face death penalty if found guilty’
5 Aug 2014 5:33 AM IST
After the nationwide furore over allegations of sexual harassment of a woman additional judge in Madhya Pradesh, who was allegedly asked to ‘perform dance on an item song’, the accused high court judge sent a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) challenging the charges.
In a two page letter to the CJI, the judge wrote, ‘I am ready to face any penalty, even the death penalty (if found guilty).’ The controversy broke after an additional district and sessions judge in Gwalior — who also heads the district-level committee to look into sexual harassment in workplace — accused the judge of the Madhya Pradesh high court of sexual harassment in a letter to the CJI. She claimed that due to unfavorable working environment and to save her dignity she was forced to resign. She alleged that the judge had asked her to ‘perform dance on an item song’ at a function at his home. She also mentioned that since she refused to obey the order she was transferred to Sidhi, a remote location on 8 July. She claimed that the judge passed derogatory remarks at her by saying that he missed the opportunity of viewing a sexy and beautiful figure dancing on the floor.
‘When I refused, I was targeted professionally,’ she alleged. Meanwhile, in the midst of serious charges leveled against him, the MP high court judge decided to take the matter head on and termed all the charges made by her as false and fabricated. In his letter to CJI RM Lodha, he said, ‘An investigation can also be done whether I have ever harassed or abused any of the lady employees or any subordinate judge... I am also ready to face CBI inquiry or a probe by any agency.’
In a two page letter to the CJI, the judge wrote, ‘I am ready to face any penalty, even the death penalty (if found guilty).’ The controversy broke after an additional district and sessions judge in Gwalior — who also heads the district-level committee to look into sexual harassment in workplace — accused the judge of the Madhya Pradesh high court of sexual harassment in a letter to the CJI. She claimed that due to unfavorable working environment and to save her dignity she was forced to resign. She alleged that the judge had asked her to ‘perform dance on an item song’ at a function at his home. She also mentioned that since she refused to obey the order she was transferred to Sidhi, a remote location on 8 July. She claimed that the judge passed derogatory remarks at her by saying that he missed the opportunity of viewing a sexy and beautiful figure dancing on the floor.
‘When I refused, I was targeted professionally,’ she alleged. Meanwhile, in the midst of serious charges leveled against him, the MP high court judge decided to take the matter head on and termed all the charges made by her as false and fabricated. In his letter to CJI RM Lodha, he said, ‘An investigation can also be done whether I have ever harassed or abused any of the lady employees or any subordinate judge... I am also ready to face CBI inquiry or a probe by any agency.’
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