Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Friday, has ordered the Director General and Commissioner of Bhopal Police to inquire into the allegations of sexual harassment of students by a professor in National Law Institute University (NLIU), as per the chief minister’s office.
A delegation of students from NLIU met the CM on Friday morning and apprised him of alleged sexual harassment of scores of girl students by NLIU Prof Tapan Mohanty, said a member of the student delegation.
CM Chouhan assured the students that sexual harassment of students will not be tolerated. CM instructed the DGP and Commissioner Bhopal police to look into the matter and asked them to engage a senior female police official too in the investigation.
Moreover, CM Chouhan also said that he will talk to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court and Judge of MP High Court in this matter.
Later the students’ delegation met the commissioner of Bhopal police and informed them of the happenings and charges against Prof Mohanty. However, according to police sources, students refused to give anything in writing to the police.
On the other hand, Prof Mohanty, talking to Free Press said that he has written a letter of withdrawal (against his resignation letter) to the VC of the University. “I have also submitted the video in which the group of students are seen forcing me to resign with immediate effect. I was intimidated physically and mentally,” said Mohanty.
In another development, alumni of NLIU came in support of Prof Mohanty and wrote a letter to the VC Prof Vijay Kumar. Former students said that Mohanty should be given a fair hearing and a committee should probe into the allegations made by the students before any action is taken against Prof Mohanty.
Congress too has jumped the bandwagon and has demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge in this matter. “The accused professor’s name had also appeared fake marksheet scam of the NLIU in report submitted by Justice Gohil. Congress demands that Justice Gohil report should be made public. It seems that Prof Mohanty’s resignation is part of a larger conspiracy to let him go of the bigger scam of NLIU,” said the spokesperson, Bhupendra Gupta.
Scores of students had gheroed the office of Prof Mohanty on Thursday after several girls complained of harassment at the hands of the professor. As the situation took ugly turn, university management asked the professor to tender his resignation.
Students are also demanding probe against charges of sexual harassment of girls by district judge of Bhopal, Girija Bala Singh, who was earlier posted as registrar at NLIU.
