An MPhil student of Greater Noida's reputed Gautam Buddha University has approached the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to the police to arrest a senior professor for sexually harassing her inside college premises.
The woman knocked on the doors of the apex court through her lawyer Rishi Malhotra after the Allahabad High Court refused the professor's request to quash the FIR, saying the 'allegations were serious', but stayed his arrest till the 'police submitted a report or credible evidence is collected'.
Admitting her plea to lift the stay on the professor's arrest, a bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph last week issued a notice to him, seeking his response within four weeks.
An MPhil student of Greater Noida's reputed Gautam Buddha University has approached the Supreme Court, seeking a direction to the police to arrest a senior professor for sexually harassing her inside college premises (picture for representation only)
The woman's complaint to the SC said, 'I observed his strange behaviour and attitude while interacting with me in the class. He used to call me into his chamber and talk about sex.
'I could realise his ill intentions. He even opened nude photographs and drugs videos on the computer in his chamber, forcing me to watch. I could not tolerate it further and I also used to object when he tried to touch me in an inappropriate manner.'
On the victim's complaint, police had registered an FIR last year against the professor under IPC sections for 'use of criminal force on a woman to outrage her modesty', 'criminal intimidation' and 'showing gestures or performing acts intended to outrage the modesty of a woman'.
Greater Noida's reputed Gautam Buddha University
A probe by an in-house varsity panel found him innocent and exonerated him.
The report also said 'on enquiry from her hostel warden it was found that she had been regularly visiting a psychiatrist for her behavioural changes'.
But despite that the High Court refused to quash the FIR.
However, protecting the professor from arrest, the HC ruled, 'There are serious allegations against the petitioner in the FIR which cannot be stifled at the very inception.
'The petitioner will have ample opportunity to prove his innocence. From the perusal of the FIR it appears that on the basis of allegation made therein, prima facie cognisable offence is made out.
'There is no scope of interfering in the FIR. Therefore, the prayer for quashing of FIR is refused. However, considering the peculiar facts and circumstances it is directed that till the submission of the police report or credible proof is collected, petitioner shall not be arrested.'
Her lawyer told the SC that the HC, which on the one hand refused to quash the FIR, erred in staying the professor's arrest without hearing her side and ignoring other material in support of her plaint.
'The HC ignored the law laid down by the SC and various guiding principles issued in respect of sexual harassment cases,' he said.
The woman's complaint to the SC said, 'I observed his strange behaviour and attitude while interacting with me in the class. He used to call me into his chamber and talk about sex' (picture for representation only)
The accused had submitted before the HC that the woman earlier approached the Delhi Commission for Women, which on the basis of his statement that she was a psychiatric patient and after examining her father and brother, ruled that the allegations could not be proved.
'He always threatened that I was assigned to him for MPhil and he will ensure I fail in the course if I disclosed the ill act to anybody.
'He also said he has good links with top varsity officials and he would spoil my career if I try to reveal his behaviour to other professors,' she told SC.
Gautam Buddha University also made headlines last year when it suspended a professor after a student accused him of asking for sexual favours in return for fixing her attendance record.
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