Cabinet to take call on Ganguly on Thursday

The government is likely to take a decision on Thursday on sending a Presidential Reference to Supreme Court for conducting a probe into allegation of sexual harassment against Justice (retd) A.K. Ganguly.

“The Home Ministry will place a note before the cabinet tomorrow (to discuss the issue of sending Presidential reference in Ganguly case). The cabinet will take a call,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday.

The Home Ministry will also place the views of Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati, who has noted that a case can be made out against Ganguly following allegations of “unwelcome behaviour” towards a woman law intern.

Once the Cabinet gives its nod, the reference will be sent to the President, who will then send the matter to the Chief Justice of India seeking a probe into the issue based on the three points raised in the reference.

The Attorney General’s suggestions came after his views were invited on a letter to the President by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking Ganguly’s removal from chairmanship of West Bengal Human Rights Commission following the intern’s allegation of sexual harassment.

Justice Ganguly has strongly denied the charge and refused to quit his post.