India's Chief Justice cleared of sexual harassment accusation

May 6 (UPI) -- India's Supreme Court Chief Justice was cleared of sexual harassment accusations by a three-judge panel on Monday, the court announced.

A statement from the court said there is "no substance" in allegations brought on April 19 by a former court employee against Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

The in-house panel of Judges S.A. Bohde, Indu Malhotra and Indira Benerjee was organized to investigate the accusations, and made its decision after the unidentified complainant refused to testify before it. The accuser alleged that her lawyer was not permitted to attend sessions of the investigation, and that she was not given transcripts of her own statements and answers to the panel.

The panel's report was not made public.

The decision prompts the start of another investigation in which the sexual harassment issue is allegedly part of a plot to discredit Gogoi. Lawyer Utsav Bains has said that a "big conspiracy" of business leaders, politicians and former Supreme Court staffers is attempting to force Gogoi's resignation.

With the closing of the sexual harassment case, another investigation will begin, although there are doubts about the objectivity of the Supreme Court. In earlier public testimony, Gogoi mentioned that the "rich and powerful" are attempting to exert "influence every time there is a big matter" before the court.