Sexual harassment allegations against CJI: SC seeks response from lawyer who claimed conspiracy

The Supreme Court Tuesday sought a response from a lawyer, who had made a sensational claim that there was a conspiracy to make CJI Ranjan Gogoi resign by "framing him" in a false case of sexual harassment. A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra issued a notice to lawyer Utsav Singh Bains and sought his response with regard to his claim that he was also offered Rs 1.5 crore to represent a former apex court woman employee and arrange a presser against the CJI at the Press Club of India here.

The bench, which also comprised Justices R F Nariman and Deepak Gupta, has now fixed the case titled as a matter of "great public importance touching upon the independence of the judiciary", for hearing tomorrow at 10:30 AM. The lawyer had filed an affidavit on Monday following the unprecedented hearing on Saturday during which the CJI had said a larger conspiracy was behind it and that he would not stoop too low even to deny these allegations.