The deputy commissioner Rajouri has initiated an inquiry against a professor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University after a complaint of alleged sexual harassment against him.
A letter from DC Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, to the BGSBU vice-chancellor on April 3 reads: “The undersigned is initiating an inquiry into a very serious complaint of sexual harassment filed by girl students of BGSBU. A prima-facie case has been made out based on the evidence presented in the form of a CD with recorded conversations, apart from written complaint received through registered post.”
A copy of the letter (No. DMR/18-19/JC/34-37) has been sent to the senior superintendent of police Rajouri, registrar State Commission for Women and district social welfare officer.
The deputy commissioner has written that while the complaint is “mainly against the professor, however there are also serious allegations made against the vice-chancellor and registrar of BGSBU for allegedly shielding the accused by not acting against him or inquiring into the matter despite complaints made on several occasions.”
The vice-chancellor has been informed that before the case is referred to police for registration of FIR and regular investigation, four officials (registrar BGSBU, the accused professor, proctor/warden Girls Hostel and administrative officer BGSBU) be directed to attend the DC office for “examination by the designated officer as per the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court.”
However a senior officer in BGSBU informed that the four officials refused to appear in the office of the deputy commissioner.
A group of girl students at a BGSBU hostel, who spoke to Greater Kashmir over phone, alleged that the university authorities were cautioned about the matter several times by students as well as by some faculty members.
“But the vice-chancellor as well as the registrar refused to act against the accused, forcing some students to approach the deputy commissioner with a recorded conversation,” they said.