In a shocking development, Civil Judge Arpita Sahu, currently posted in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, has sent a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), seeking permission to end her life. The letter details the alleged physical and mental torture she endured during her posting in Barabanki, including unsettling incidents with the district Judge.
In the two-page letter, Judge Sahu recounted the distressing experiences, citing instances of inappropriate demands and harassment that reportedly went unaddressed despite continuous complaints. She alleged that the district judge had pressurised her to meet in at night. Lack of action despite complaints propelled her to write to the CJI seeking permission to end her life.
"In the short time of my service I have had the rare Honour of being abused (the dreaded hindi mother curse word) on Dias in open court. I have been sexually harassed to the very limit. I have been treated like utter garbage. I feel like an unwanted insect. And I hoped to provide justice to others. What Naive me!" read Judge Sahu's letter. "I wish to tell all the working women in India: Learn to live with sexual harassment. It's a truth of our lives. The POSH ACT is a big wholesome lie told to us. No one listens to us, no one bothers."
In 2022, while being posted at Ramsanehighat in Barabanki, Judge Sahu lodged a complaint against advocates Ritesh Mishra and Mohan Singh, accusing them of using offensive language towards her. In July, the Allahabad High Court instructed the forensic science laboratory in Lucknow to analyse the CCTV footage capturing the misconduct of advocates Mishra and Singh towards her.
CJI DY Chandrachud's views on women in judiciary
CJI DY Chandrachud has been known for his liberal views on women, and at many occasions he has been vocal about their rights. In October, he remarked the increasing number of women entering the judiciary was "sign of changing times."
“Here at the back row, we have 75 judges from Maharashtra. Out of the batch of 75, 42 are women and 33 are men. Among the five direct recruits for district judges too, we have two women. It is a sign of changing times. We now have around 40% women joining as judges in the district judiciary,” Justice Chandrachud said, when welcoming a batch of newly recruited 75 civil judges from Maharashtra.
