New Delhi: Serial litigator lawyer M.L. Sharma filed a fresh plea Tuesday in the Supreme Court seeking prosecution against several senior lawyers for allegedly defaming Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in a sexual harassment case that surfaced against the top judge on 19 April.
Sharma alleged that the lawyers were “directly or indirectly involved” in framing CJI Gogoi in the sexual harassment case.
The advocate said it’s a “clear case of false concocted conspiracy” that has been “hatched knowingly and deliberately”.
In his petition, Sharma named advocates Prashant Bhushan, Kamini Jaiswal, Vrinda Grover, Dushyant Dubey, Nina Gupta Bhasin, and senior advocates Shanti Bhushan and Indira Jaising. “Dushyant Dubey” in his petition is possibly a reference to senior advocate Dushyant Dave.
Sharma also alleged that these Supreme Court lawyers attempted to destabilise the top court and the judiciary.
His petition comes days after Gogoi was accused of sexual harassment by a former Supreme Court employee. Two different inquires have been ordered into the case — one will probe the sexual harassment accusation, while the other one will look into claims made by lawyer Utsav Bains, who has also alleged a “conspiracy to frame CJI Gogoi”.
Sharma is known for often filing poorly-drafted, headline-hunting petitions, most of which get dismissed within minutes of the first hearing. Several judges have, in the past, questioned the basis of his PILs and their frivolous nature.
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The plea
In his petition Tuesday, Sharma alleged that “it is appeared on records that several Advocates, Sr. designated Advocates of the Supreme Court has been running various NGOs, taking money from the industrialist. Trust/ Foreign groups, political targets and are busy attacking upon the CJI of the Supreme Court from a long time, destroying our judicial reputation and dignity of the Hon’ble Supreme Court from time to time (sic).”
The advocate said “that present sexual harassment case against the present CJI is not new attempt in which directly and indirectly Sr Designated advocate belong to these NGO are also involves (sic).”
Sharma has also sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team coupled with further directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation and the registration of an FIR for the alleged conspiracy to frame the CJI.
Sharma tried to mention the matter Tuesday morning before a bench led by CJI Gogoi. However, he was directed to mention the matter before another judge. The lawyer then tried to mention the matter before Justices N.V. Ramana and Arun Mishra but without any success.
He will now look to mention the matter before Justice S.A. Bobde who was not in court Tuesday.
Also read: New twist to CJI Gogoi crisis: More SC staff suspected to be part of ‘Ambani order fudging’