GURGAON: Around 500 students of Chaudhary Devi Lal University in Sirsa have written to the Haryana chief minister, governor and the women’s commission, accusing a professor of sexually exploiting them for days after calling them to his chamber. A special investigation team (SIT) was set up to probe the allegations after the letter written on Thursday started doing the rounds of social media.This is the fourth such letter written by students against the professor, who has been given a clean shit twice by the university’s internal complaints committee.
Deepti Garg, the ASP, said they would register an FIR after a preliminary investigation. “Let us investigate the allegations made in the letter first. We will take action based on our findings,” she added. The accused professor, denied the allegations against him, dubbing them “politically motivated”. “I am being targeted because I have been active in some work at the university. I am ready to face any probe against me. This is nothing but political vendetta,” he told TOI. Sources in the university said all four letters accusing the teacher of sexual misconduct were posted from the same Khairpur post-office on Hisar Road. The first such letter, according to the sources, was sent to the university VC in June last year. The university then conducted an internal investigation but did not find any evidence to back the allegations against him.
Two more letters were sent to the governor in November and December last year. The governor’s office asked the university to conduct another probe, but this time too, the professor was given a clean chit.
Last week’s letter accused the teacher of touching the girls inappropriately. “He calls us individually to his office bathroom and touches us inappropriately…. When we protested against this, he threatened us with dire consequences,” the letter stated.
It further accused the professor of destroying all evidence, including CCTV footage of his room. “We have no faith in the university. Please help us get justice…. Please get this professor removed and appoint someone else,” the girls wrote. “We can’t write our names and contact numbers as it will malign our own image if no action is taken against the professor. The dignity of our family will be at stake. He has threatened to get us expelled if we speak against him. He has enough political influence.”
Officials said they had called the professor’s colleagues to get their statements recorded, but many of them skipped the session.
Rajesh Bansal, the university registrar, confirmed having received letters against the professor in the past. “Our internal probe found the allegations baseless. But since the letter now mentions 500 girls, police and the university are taking a relook at the matter,” he added.
Deepti Garg, the ASP, said they would register an FIR after a preliminary investigation. “Let us investigate the allegations made in the letter first. We will take action based on our findings,” she added. The accused professor, denied the allegations against him, dubbing them “politically motivated”. “I am being targeted because I have been active in some work at the university. I am ready to face any probe against me. This is nothing but political vendetta,” he told TOI. Sources in the university said all four letters accusing the teacher of sexual misconduct were posted from the same Khairpur post-office on Hisar Road. The first such letter, according to the sources, was sent to the university VC in June last year. The university then conducted an internal investigation but did not find any evidence to back the allegations against him.
Two more letters were sent to the governor in November and December last year. The governor’s office asked the university to conduct another probe, but this time too, the professor was given a clean chit.
Last week’s letter accused the teacher of touching the girls inappropriately. “He calls us individually to his office bathroom and touches us inappropriately…. When we protested against this, he threatened us with dire consequences,” the letter stated.
It further accused the professor of destroying all evidence, including CCTV footage of his room. “We have no faith in the university. Please help us get justice…. Please get this professor removed and appoint someone else,” the girls wrote. “We can’t write our names and contact numbers as it will malign our own image if no action is taken against the professor. The dignity of our family will be at stake. He has threatened to get us expelled if we speak against him. He has enough political influence.”
Officials said they had called the professor’s colleagues to get their statements recorded, but many of them skipped the session.
Rajesh Bansal, the university registrar, confirmed having received letters against the professor in the past. “Our internal probe found the allegations baseless. But since the letter now mentions 500 girls, police and the university are taking a relook at the matter,” he added.