Indu Malhotra part of panel to probe CJI

Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra was Thursday appointed as the third member of the in-house inquiry panel set up to examine allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi following recusal of Justice N V Ramana.

Senior-most judge S A Bobde, who is heading the panel, has appointed Justice Malhotra to the committee. Justice Indira Banerjee is also part of the panel.

The development assumes significance as the former woman employee of the apex court had written a letter on Wednesday to the panel expressing reservation over the inclusion of Justice Ramana on the ground that he is a close friend of the CJI and a regular visitor to his house.

In her letter to Justice Bobde, she had also raised question over the presence of only one woman apex court judge -- Banerjee -- in the panel to examine her allegations against the CJI which according to her is not in accordance with the Vishaka Guidelines.

The woman is supposed to appear before the panel on Friday.

During the day, Justice Ramana recused himself from the panel by writing a letter to Justice Bobde.

Sources said that Justice Ramana did not recuse owing to the objections raised by the former woman employee who has levelled allegations of sexual harassment against the CJI.

"Justice Ramana has recused and letter has been sent to Justice Bobde. It is a big three pages letter. The recusal is not based on the grounds raised by the former woman employee. But it is done so that the whole exercise does not get vitiated," a source said.