AG sought external members in probe panel

New Delhi Amidst a controversy over the procedure adopted for the inhouse inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi Attorney General of India K K Venugopal had written to senior apex court judges seeking nomination of external members in the panel to ensure a transparent and fair probeHowever on Friday he rubbished media reports suggesting differences between him and the Central government and that it had forced him to write to the judges that his views were personal and not that of the Central governmentVenugopal told ANI that that he had written a letter to some senior judges of the Supreme Court in personal capacity But I had sent a letter in personal capacity before the appointment of the present Committee he added He also said that other than this part the statements of media report are inaccurateOn April 22 Venugopal has written a letter to the some of the seniormost judges including the Chief Justice of India stating that an external member should be included in the committee to examine sexual harassment charges against the CJIHe asserted that he had sent the copy of the letter to four other senior most judges of the Supreme Court before the inhouse panel was constitutedThe top court had constituted a threemember Committee consisting of Justices Bobde NV Ramana and Indra Banerjee after a former woman court staffer who had worked in the home office of the CJI had complained to the judges of the Supreme Court that Justice Gogoi had made sexual advances to herLater Justice Ramana recused from being a part of the committee after the complainant sought his recusal saying he was close the CJI Justice Indu Malhotra replaced RamanaHowever the constitution of the committee came under criticism with a number of jurists and lawyer including women advocates saying the probe panel was not in accordance with the Visakha guidelines propounded by the apex court on the basis of which parliament had also passed a lawWhile the SC has an inhouse procedure for dealing with complaints it has no precedent nor a provision for dealing with a complaint of sexual harassment against the CJIOn May 6 the threejudge inhouse Committee of the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment complaint allegation levelled against him by a former court staffer who said she was not just highly disappointed and dejected but felt gross injustice has been done to herTop News Stories Of The DayFactory owner kidnapped in filmy style from PalgharMumbai Crime Failed actor turns to chain snatching in local trainsTiger found dead in Melghat reserveHighway Gomantak in Bandra fight with hsg society over maintenance6 dead as cars crash headon trying to avoid biker near PalgharToxic gas lack of safety equipment cost workers their lives in ThaneByculla museum death BMC orders probe cops to wait before actionMumbai Crime 63yrold doctor gets bail in molestation case in BandraMumbai volunteers refused space to stock up relief materials for OdishaNow meds at Mumbai civic hospitals to have MCGM mark and bar QR codesMaharashtra scientist discovers Mizo rain snakeMumbai Law students relieved as GLC agrees to have retestPraveen Pardeshi to be new BMC chiefAfter HC order cops finally file FIR against 19yearolds parentsThe dark side Have you seen these 12 most haunted places in MumbaiHimanshu Roy death anniversary Mumbais top cop whose life was cut short by suicideKelly and Kody The couples steamy and dreamy photos are too hot to handleCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates