DU's Satyawati College Professor Placed On Leave After Sexual Harassment Complaint

A Delhi University associate professor at Satyawati College has been placed on leave and served a show-cause notice after a woman student accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, The Indian Express reported. The action comes days after an assistant professor at Daulat Ram College was sent on leave over similar allegations by a student.

Satyawati College Principal Subhash Kumar Singh told the newspaper that the matter was being examined by the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).

“The matter is with the ICC and a probe is going on… We cannot comment much, but yes, he has been placed on leave since last month,” he said.

Singh said the committee met last week and the case will move through the college and university process after the inquiry report is filed.

Satyawati Complaint Details

According to the report, the student filed her complaint on November 2, two days after the alleged incident. In the complaint, she alleged that the associate professor had harassed her over the phone and sent her an obscene PDF document while claiming it was part of the syllabus.

The complaint also reportedly lists several instances of alleged sexual harassment, misconduct, inappropriate behaviour and use of vulgar language.

The associate professor denied the charges after being contacted.

“These are false and fabricated allegations against me. I was called by the ICC last week and have submitted my reply, which has also been video recorded,” he said, according to the report.

He added that he had stayed away from campus while the matter was under review. “I have not gone to college since last week… I am waiting for a fair action and result in the matter,” he added.

ICC Process Underway

The report stated that the college’s internal process is now underway. Singh said the ICC is probing the matter and had already held a meeting last week.

He outlined the next step after the committee completes its inquiry. “Once the committee submits its report, a resolution will be sent to the governing body and then to the university for further action,” he said.

That process will determine any further administrative action by the college and Delhi University.

Past College Cases

This is not the first such case at Satyawati College. A couple of months ago, the college suspended two faculty members over allegations of sexual harassment.

That background adds to scrutiny of the present complaint and the college’s response to it.

A separate complaint has also surfaced from a student enrolled with Delhi University’s Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB), whose study centre is at Dr B R Ambedkar College. The student has accused an ad-hoc teacher of molestation, sexual harassment, coercion and inappropriate behaviour.

The student filed the complaint on October 19 and addressed it to the teacher-in-charge of the study centre and other university officers. NCWEB allows women students to pursue undergraduate courses through classes held at study centres in DU colleges, which they attend on weekends.