Post date: Dec 25, 2013 11:55:47 AM
India's ruling Congress party urges the Delhi police to take appropriate action against the former apex court judge, A. K. Ganguly accused of sexually abusing a law intern
NEW DELHI, INDIA (DECEMBER 25, 2013) (ANI) - India's ruling Congress party on Wednesday (December25) urged the Delhi police to take appropriate action against the former apex court judge, A. K. Ganguly accused of sexually abusing a law intern.
In a letter to the Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam, Ganguly on Monday (December 23) denied the charges levelled against him.The former law intern has issued a statement to the Chief Justice of India slamming Ganguly's letter.
Ganguly wrote in his letter that he was 'anguished' that the Supreme Court had not addressed him properly. He further wrote that this case was a move to tarnish his image and he had made no sexual advances towards anyone.
Congress leader, Sandeep Dikshit on Wednesday (December 25) said that authorities must take appropriate action in the matter.
"It is true that the Delhi police approached the intern as soon as the case came into limelight so that she registers a complaint. Police must seriously consider the fact that the girl told the media and other people that if anything of this sort happens, then I expect the Delhi police or the other concerned authorities to act in an appropriate manner,"said Dikshit.
The former judge also claimed that it was a 'palpable design' to malign his image as the affidavit by the victim was 'leaked' to the media.
The law intern wrote in a blog post on November 06 that a top judge assaulted her in a hotel room last December - just when huge protests were taking place over the fatal gang rape and murder of a physiotherapist in the Indian capital.
The intern's allegations created a media furore - with female lawyers and activists calling for the country's top court to investigate the incident and for the accused judge to be named publicly.
Meanwhile, a leader of India's regional Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Sabir Ali urged the girl to come forward and file complaint.
"The girl must speak out about the molestation. She should not fear anyone. When the entire country is with you, why are you afraid and of whom are you afraid of? Staying behind the veil you are asking somebody to resign, I feel it is not just," said Ali.
The court had set up a three-judge panel, which heard testimonies from the law intern and Ganguly and submitted its report to the Chief Justice of India, Palanisamy Sathasivam, naming Ganguly as the accused.
Despite the committee's decision, Ganguly, who holds the post of chairman of West Bengal Human Rights Commission, has refused to resign.
Main opposition, Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has been consistently demanding Ganguly's resignation.
"What can be more unfortunate than this that people in authorities are being accused of such acts? I think he must voluntarily stepped down from his post. I think that strict actions must be taken against him so that a strong message is sent across the society that no crime against women will be tolerated further," said a BJP leader, Anurag Thakur.
Sex crimes are common in India. Statistics showed that 244,270 crimes against women were reported to the police in 2012, against 228,650 in 2011, according to the National Crimes Records Bureau.
These include rapes, kidnappings, sexual harassment, trafficking, molestation and cruelty by husbands, relatives. They also include instances in which women are driven to suicide as a result of demands for a dowry from their husbands or in-laws.