Sexual harassment charges against JNU professor: JNUSU approaches DCW

The professor claimed that the allegation against him was a "motivated move" by students with vested interests.

New Delhi: The JNU Students Union (JNUSU) on Saturday approached the Delhi Commission for Women seeking its intervention in the case of alleged sexual harassment of a group of women students by a professor of the university's School of Life Sciences (SLS). According to the police, an FIR was registered against the professor at the Vasant Kunj police station in southwest Delhi.

He had resigned on Friday from two administrative posts in JNU -- the director of the Human Resources Development Centre (HRDC) and the director of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) -- on "moral grounds", but claimed that the allegation against him was a "motivated move" by students with vested interests.

JNUSU President Geeta Kumari said, "It is more than 36 hours since the FIR was filed, but still no action has been taken against him. He continues to enjoy his privileges in the JNU campus. The JNU administration has not even suspended him from his academic duties."

"As of now, nine students have come forward to report the harassment and many former students have been calling us to share their experiences of sexual harassment while working under him," Kumari claimed on Saturday.

Hitting out at the university administration, the students' body alleged, "By promising to take up investigation through Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), the JNU administration has clearly shown its intention to provide safe passage to the professor."

The students also accused the Delhi Police of delaying action in the case. "The Delhi Police has done only token follow up of the FIR that was filed by the complainants. The delay in recording statements is a clear sign of nexus between the police and administration," Kumari alleged.

Meanwhile, the All India Democratic Women's Association, wrote to the vice chancellor of the university demanding immediate suspension of the professor and, a free and fair inquiry.