#India-Towards a Decisive Victory in the Historic Battle for Women’s Rights

Reported by Anant Zanane, Edited by Sindhu Manjesh | Updated: January 23, 2013

Gonda, Uttar PradeshA judge in Uttar Pradesh has been accused of molesting two girls in his chambers at a court in  Gonda district, a two-hour drive from the capital of  Lucknow.

The two separate incidents allegedly took place on Monday.

The girls filed independent police complaints in which they allege that the judge made them undress and touched them inappropriately, claiming that he was trying to determine whether they are minors or younger than 18.

The girls were deposing before the judge in two separate cases of kidnapping that were lodged by their families after they had allegedly eloped. They had been summoned before the court to give their statements, which would have been used as evidence.

The police says that to register a case against the judge, it needs permission from the Allahabad High Court, which is awaited.

Lawyers boycotted the court in Gonda and vandalised the judge’s chambers, demanding his arrest.