Protests outside Justice Ganguly's office, effigy burnt

Kolkata: A group of lawyers and women burnt an effigy of former Supreme Court judge Asok Kumar Ganguly on Monday and sat on a dharna outside his office here demanding his resignation as the West Bengal Human Rights Commission chief.

The protesters shouted slogans, formed a human chain and burnt an effigy of Justice Ganguly, accused of sexually harassing a law intern, with the dharna carried on for more than four hours at the Bhabani Bhawan, which houses the WBHRC office, in Alipore.

Joydeep Mukherjee, secretary of the All India Legal Aid Forum, told PTI that the protests would continue till Ganguly resigns.

"He should step down for the sake of credibility of the post of chairman of state human rights commission. The respect and trust which people have for this body is being damaged because of this," said the lawyer who led the protest.

He warned that there would be massive protests and black flag demonstrations in the metropolis against Justice Ganguly if he does not resign immediately.

Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising made public excerpts from the law intern's affidavit on Monday giving a detailed account of what happened to her in a Delhi hotel room on the 24 December, 2012 night when she was called by Ganguly.

A Supreme Court committee has already indicted the former judge for 'unwelcome behaviour' and 'conduct of sexual nature' toward the girl who was then working as a law intern with him.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written twice to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking strong action against the former judge.

Several women rights activists, political leaders from the BJP and Trinamool Congress have been vocal demanding his removal.