Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee yesterday described as “pre-planned” the way retired Supreme Court judge A K Ganguly was “forced to step down” as chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission and said the entire episode was “sad and a matter of concern.”
Reacting strongly, Chatterjee, a noted barrister, said: “The way in which the situation was created to force him to step down is highly objectionable, illegal and unconstitutional.”
Bowing to growing pressure following allegations of sexual assault levelled by a law intern, Ganguly on Monday stepped down from the post of chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. His resignation has been accepted by Governor M K Narayanan.
Calling Ganguly an “able judge”, Chatterjee said “whatever happened is sad and regretful and a matter of concern.”
“It seems everything was pre-planned to force him to quit the post for the benefit of some. Who arranged for the press conference (of a legal luminary in Kolkata)? There is a law which has to be followed in such matters. But it was not adhered to.
“The person who has worked so efficiently as a judge, and whose behaviour has always been beyond reproach, has been treated so shabbily without trial, without being proven guilty. In law, everybody is deemed innocent till proved guilty. But he did not get justice.
“There is now suspicion about the existence of the rule of law in this country,” said Chatterjee.
The intern alleged in a blog in November that Ganguly had made unwelcome sexual advances and harassed her at a hotel in New Delhi in December 2012.
Ganguly has denied the accusation and said there was an effort by “powerful quarters” to tarnish his image.
The Supreme Court had set up a panel to look into the issue and found Ganguly to have exhibited “unwelcome behaviour.” The top court said it could take no action because the incident happened after Ganguly retired.
After the Supreme Court panel’s criticism, Ganguly faced pressure to quit.
“It would have looked more dignified had he resigned when the allegation was levelled. But better late than never,” National Women’s Commission chairwoman Mamta Sharma said.
Ganguly gave some landmark decisions during his 18-year-tenure at various courts and the Supreme Court. These included the cancellation of telecom licences linked to an irregular sale of spectrum by the government in 2008.
But the charges levelled against him by a woman young enough to be his granddaughter has shocked India, Sharma said, especially as it came at a time when there is heightened awareness following the December 2012 gang-rape and murder of a student in Delhi.