Gautam Buddha: University dean arrested for sexually harassing a doctoral student

The dean, whose identity was withheld to protect the identity of the victim, was arrested by Ecotech 1 police station under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354 (assault on women) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation). Police used older sections of the penal code since the complaint was filed in June.

The victim's sister (a doctoral student), who is also the complainant, told police that the university's internal complaints committee, which was supposed to investigate the allegations and submit a report within 90 days, had failed to do so.

Earlier, she had sent a letter to University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Jagadesh Kumar claiming that her sister was called to the dean's office on the university campus on June 8 and when she reached there, he addressed her obscenely.

The dean could not be reached for comment on the matter.

Kumar said he had already asked the officer concerned to look into the details of the case and take up the matter with the GBU.

“The UGC will look into the complaint filed by the PhD student's sister. We expect the university to follow the guidelines and a committee has already been set up to investigate the allegations. We always take a strict approach in such matters but when it comes to public order, we will not comment on it until the police initiate an investigation,” Kumar said.

HT reported on September 12 that the college had already set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the chairmanship of a vice-chancellor of Delhi University.

GBU Vice-Chancellor Professor RK Sinha assured that the ICC would submit its findings to the police shortly and that the university would take necessary action as per the guidelines.

“The ICC will submit its report soon and on that basis action can be taken within two to three days. People must understand that neither the GBU nor its management can influence the investigation. Such matters need time for a fair decision,” Sinha said.