GUWAHATI: A civil judge in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, has made a distressing plea to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, seeking permission to end her life due to the alleged "abuse" and "harassment" she has faced in her career. The judge claims to have been sexually harassed by a district judge and points to a lack of action and empathy from higher authorities.
In a detailed account, the judge reveals that she was subjected to sexual harassment by a specific District Judge and his associates. She alleges being compelled to meet the District Judge at night, and despite reporting the incident to the Chief Justice of Allahabad and the Administrative Judge in 2022, no action has been taken.
The judge further states that she filed a complaint with the Internal Complaints Committee of the High Court in July 2023, which took six months and numerous emails to initiate an inquiry. Expressing dissatisfaction with the proposed inquiry, she raises concerns about the fairness of the process, as the witnesses are immediate subordinates of the accused District Judge.
Her request for the transfer of the District Judge during the inquiry was reportedly ignored, despite the High Court acknowledging evidence tampering. The judge emphasises her plea for a fair inquiry, stating that her only expectation was that the Supreme Court would hear such a straightforward request. However, she alleges that her writ petition was summarily dismissed in eight seconds without any consideration, leaving her feeling humiliated.
A bench led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy had dismissed her plea on December 13, 2023, stating that the internal complaints committee was already handling the matter and had passed a resolution for the Chief Justice's approval.