Stephens'' molestation: HRD tells UGC to fast track inquiry

New Delhi, July 4

The Human Resource Ministry has told the University Grants Commission to ensure a speedy and impartial inquiry into probe allegations levelled against an assistant professor of the at St Stephen's College.

This comes even as the complainant has voiced fears that the probe will be biased. She has also refused to appear before the ICC, saying she would seek “redress elsewhere”.

"I would like to make it abundantly clear that I have withdrawn my complaint from your committee and do not wish to pursue the matter before it as I am seeking redress elsewhere. Given the present situation of my withdrawal, the need for my appearance before the committee does not arise," she said in an email to the ICC chairman.

The student, a PhD scholar, had approached police on June 19 accusing Satish Kumar, an assistant professor in college's Chemistry Department, of molesting her, She also accused college Principal Valson Thampu of attempting to cover-up when the case was reported to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).

The complainant withdrew her complaint from the ICC on June 21 claiming that she “has lost faith in the committee's proceedings”.

St Stephen's College principal Valson Thampu on Saturday claimed "The girl wasn't sure she wanted to treat it as a sexual harassment complaint. It wasn't for me but for the victim to approach the police over the issue. I could have raised it with the College’s ICC, which I duly did," he said, when he was asked why he didn’t approach the police with the complaint.

"Life is not above law. The girl wasn't sure she wanted to treat it as a sexual harassment complaint. If I had gone reported it to police, it would have been breach of trust," he added.

Thampu claimed the audio recordings indicating he pressured the victim into treat it as sexual harassment was doctored.

"I shall make no comments on the merit of the contents and how cleverly they have been manipulated, insofar as a police investigation into the case is in progress but they have being mischievously edited," he said.

Although High Court has restrained the police from arresting Kumar till August 17,the demands for Thampu's resignation is growing louder.

On Saturday, several women’s organisations accused Thampu of "mishandling" the issue.

"We demand immediate reassigning of the PhD supervisor and initiation of an external inquiry into the principal's role and institutional failure to address such cases," several women organisations, including All India Democratic Women's Association, Centre for Struggling Women, Saheli and All India Progressive Women Association, said in a joint statement. — PTI