Sexual harassment allegations: Was offered ₹1.5 crore to frame CJI, says Supreme Court lawyer

Files plea seeking a judicial inquiry.

April 23, 2019 01:31 am | Updated 01:31 am IST - NEW DELHI

Supreme Court lawyer Utsav Bains. Photo: Twitter/@utsavbains

Supreme Court lawyer Utsav Bains. Photo: Twitter/@utsavbains

An advocate on Monday filed a plea in the Supreme Court claiming he was offered up to ₹1.5 crore by a man identified as ‘Ajay’ to frame a “false case of sexual harassment” against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

Supreme Court lawyer Utsav Bains said the man, claiming to represent the former employee who has levelled allegations against Chief Justice Gogoi, had also asked him to arrange a press conference at the Press Club of India to ‘frame’ the CJI.

Mr. Bains said he had rejected the offer from the man, who became evasive when asked how he was related to the woman. He said there was a larger ‘conspiracy’ playing out to compel the CJI to resign.

He said a judicial inquiry was required into the alleged plot to affect the independence of the judiciary.

The lawyer said he learnt from a ‘reliable person’, who on condition of anonymity, told him that a ‘corporate figure’ had tried and failed with the CJI “to get a favourable order in a high-profile case.” This person had also tried unsuccessfully to get the case transferred, Mr. Bains said.

He had then ‘ganged up’ with an ‘alleged fixer’ to frame the CJI to “pressure him to resign”, the lawyer added.

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