Supreme Court advocate Utsav Bains claims that a man identified as ‘Ajay’ had approached him to file a “false case of sexual harassment” against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi

A Special Bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Arun Mishra, on Tuesday issued notice to an advocate who filed a plea in the court claiming he was offered up to Rs. 1.5 crore by a man who identified himself as “Ajay” to frame a “false case of sexual harassment” against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Rohinton Nariman and Deepak Gupta, ordered lawyer Utsav Bains to be personally present in the court at 10.30 a.m. on April 24.

“Where is Mr. Utsav Singh Bains?” Justices Mishra and Nariman called out. However, the lawyer was not present in the courtroom.

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The thickly packed courtroom had senior advocates Indira Jaising and Rajeev Dhavan and Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, among others.

Mr. Bains had claimed that the man who met him said he represented the former employee who has levelled allegations against Chief Justice Gogoi and asked him to arrange a press conference at the Press Club of India to “frame” the CJI.

Mr. Bains said he refused the man, who became evasive when asked how he was related to the woman.

Mr. Bains said a larger “conspiracy” was being played out to compel the CJI to resign. A judicial inquiry was required into the alleged plot to affect the independence of the judiciary.

The lawyer said he learnt from a “reliable person” who, on the condition of anonymity, told him that a “corporate figure” had tried and failed with the CJI “to get a favourable order in a high profile case”. This person had also tried unsuccessfully to get the case transferred.

This corporate figure had then “ganged up” with an “alleged fixer” to frame the CJI to “pressurise him to resign”, he said.