Woman accuses judge of sexual harassment

Woman accuses judge of sexual harassment
RAJESH SINHA

JAIPUR, AUGUST 11: A lower division clerk in Kota District and Sessions court today accused the District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) of Jhalawar of sexual harassment. She alleged that despite complaints, the authorities did not take any action to provide relief while the local police joined hands with the Jhalawar DSJ to frame her in various cases. She demanded an impartial inquiry into the whole affair and action against the guilty.

Sandhya Bhardwaj, who broke down repeatedly while narrating her story to mediapersons, was later taken to the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court by women and civil rights activists. Chief Justice A R Lakshamanan met her and assured her of a speedy and fair inquiry into her complaints. Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ordered an inquiry by a DIG into the role played by the police and said he would forward her complaint to the Chief Justice too.

A section of the accused reportedly with the help of some local journalists were ready to counter Bhardwaj's allegation as they pulled out copies of a love letter allegedly written by her to a third person to question her character. The copy of the letter was reportedly faxed to them between last night and this morning from Jhalawar by concerned parties.

According to Bhardwaj, she had been working in the court at Jhalawar for four years. The DSJ kept her on posts where she would stay close to him and frequently made advances at her, she alleged. She said the DSJ first attempted to rape her on April 29, 1999, when he got her called over to his residence through his wife, who left the house after making the call.

Bhardwaj complained about this to the judicial employees union. The DSJ then apologised before her and her husband, she said.

After the incident, Bhardwaj said, she was transferred eight times to different courts in Jhalawar. The DSJ then had her seat placed inside his chamber, with the table, typewriter and photocopier jamming the room. She alleged the judge would harass her every day. Her colleagues knew of this but were unable to help.

When the judge failed to have his way with her, he used his friends in the police to traumatise her and break her resistance, Bhardwaj alleged. She said that Circle Inspector Rajiv Dutta and Sub Inspector Ashish Bhargav aided the DSJ.

On February 14, the police picked her up with a younger colleague and her son's tutor, Amit Jain, from her house. The police took away Bhardwaj and her son, paying no heed to the neighbours' protests and pleadings.

She alleges that she was beaten up, molested and tortured and her 10-year-old son was terrorised in the lock up.

They took her to the judge at night and asked him to do what he liked. The judge kicked her and told her she would not have got into trouble if she had listened to him earlier, she alleged.

The police charged her with illicit sex and wanted to book her under PITA (Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act) but the medical examination results showed that she was in the third day of menstruation. They then booked under Section 109 of IPC, for vagrancy. Bhardwaj alleged that the police wanted to keep her in custody and harass her further, but a lawyer came and freed her.

She did not go for work till the state employees' strike was on, but even after it ended on February 17, the judge did not let her join duty for 40 days. He sacked Amit Jain, who was still on probation and threatened Bhardwaj with dismissal if she dared to speak out against him and the police. Bhardwaj said she wrote thrice to Jhalawar SP about the deeds of his men but he refused to receive her letters.

She was transferred to Kota on June 1, after which she sent copies of her complaint to Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, the Chief Minister, National Human Rights Commission, National Women's Commission and other authorities. She waited for two months and then approached the women's organisations in Jaipur.

The women's and civil rights activists took her to the CM and the CJ. The CM ordered an inquiry by DIG CID (Crime Branch) into the role of the police, promising to obtain the report within four days and strong action in the matter. He assured them that he would request the CJ to order an inquiry against the DSJ. The CJ, who met Bhardwaj today, promised a speedy and fair inquiry.

The activists have threatened to launch an agitation at Jhalawar and Jaipur if no action was taken in the case.