New Delhi, April 20:The Supreme Court on Saturday said the independence of judiciary is under “very, very severe” threat.
The apex court concluded an urgent hearing on a “matter of great public importance”, leaving it to the wisdom of media to act responsibly on allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.Justice Gogoi said, “This is unbelievable. I don’t think I should stoop low even to deny these allegations.”
He said after 20 years of selfless service as judge, he had a bank balance of Rs 6.8 lakh. “Nobody can catch me on money; people have to find something and they have found this,” he said.There had to be a bigger force behind this, they wanted to deactivate office of the CJI, Justice Gogoi said.
“This is the reward the CJI gets after 20 years of service,” he said, adding, “ I will sit on this chair and discharge my judicial functions without any fear.”
He said he had taken this unusual and extraordinary step of sitting in court today because things had gone too far. Judiciary couldn’t be made the scapegoat, he added.
Justice Arun Mishra said, “We are all concerned with the independence of judiciary as people have faith in judicial system. Faith of people in judiciary will be shaken by such unscrupulous allegations.” PTI
