Bombay High Court Judge removed for ogling at female staff

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has suspended a sessions court judge on charges of sexually harassing a female staff. M.T. Gaikwad, presiding over a special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotrophic Substances Act Court in Mumbai, was suspended last week after a preliminary inquiry found substance in the complaint by the staff member about his “inappropriate behaviour”.

 

“The judge was suspended on August 14 after holding a preliminary inquiry,” Shalini Joshi, registrar general of the Bombay High Court, said. The complainant had alleged that the judge used to stare at her quite often in an offensive manner.

 

During the preliminary inquiry, the allegation made by the complainant was corroborated by other employees, High Court sources said.  The preliminary inquiry was conducted by another special judge S.D. Tulankar, who presides over a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSOA) court.