Kolkata, Jan 6 (IANS) Justice (retd) A.K. Ganguly, facing allegations of sexually assaulting a law intern, Monday stepped down from the post of chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. <\/p>\n
The former Supreme Court judge drove to the Raj Bhavan here and handed over his resignation letter to Governor M. K. Narayanan during a 45-minute meeting, sources in the know said on condition of anonymity. <\/p>\n
The resignation came hours after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to restrain the government from proceeding against Ganguly. Ganguly, however, claimed he had \"nothing to do\" with the Public Interest Litigation. <\/p>\n
The union cabinet had already cleared the home ministry's proposal for a presidential reference to the Supreme Court for a probe into the allegations. <\/p>\n
The proposal was being sent to President Pranab Mukherjee, for him to forward to the chief justice of India seeking a probe into the issue. <\/p>\n
However, Ganguly's resignation from the human rights panel has rendered the rendered the reference infructuous, legal sources said. <\/p>\n
The intern has alleged that Ganguly sexually harassed her at a five star hotel in Delhi in December 2012. <\/p>\n
Ganguly has repeatedly denied the accusation and on Dec 23 wrote to the Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam, claiming there was a \"concerted effort\" to \"tarnish his image\" for giving judgements against \"powerful quarters\". <\/p>\n
A three-member panel of apex court judges probing the allegations had earlier indicted Ganguly of \"unwelcome behaviour\". <\/p>\n
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote twice to President Mukherjee for taking urgent necessary action, so as to remove Ganguly from the post of WBHRC chief at the earliest. <\/p>\n
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