Larger SC bench to hear plea against Justice Swatanter Kumar

The Supreme Court on Friday said that the plea of a former law intern seeking probe against its retired judge Swatanter Kumar for allegedly sexually harassing her be heard by a three-judge bench and posted the case for hearing on March 26.

A bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi also agreed to hear two intervening applications filed in the case and directed that the response of Justice Kumar, who is heading National Green tribunal, be supplied to the amicus curiae appointed by it in the case.

Justice Kumar, in his reply to the allegations levelled by the former intern, said that the charges against him were part of a malicious conspiracy intended to damage his reputation.

He told the apex court that its full court resolution of December 5, 2013, in which it was held that no complaint can be entertained by the Supreme Court against its retired judges is correct and denied all the allegations levelled against him by the intern.

On January 15, the court had issued notice to Justice Kumar and had also appointed senior advocates Fali S Nariman and P P Rao as amicus curiae to assist it in the case.

It had also directed Attorney General G E Vahavati to assist the court in the matter.