In June, the BHU executive council, the highest decision-making body of the varsity, revoked Prof SK Chaubey’s suspension.
Banaras Hindu University (File image: Wikimedia Commons)
Banaras Hindu University students have called off their protest against the reinstatement of a professor accused of sexually harassing women on Sunday night after authorities assured them that the matter would be reviewed.
“The complaint against Prof SK Chaubey was looked into by the Complaints Committee. The report of the committee was considered by the executive council and a punishment was imposed on him. However, it has been decided to refer it back again to the executive council for a review of its decision,” the university said in a press release. “Till the time, the executive council reconsiders it, Prof SK Chaubey is directed to proceed on long leave,” it said.
The students were protesting since Saturday evening, demanding that the professor be punished. BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi said, “He was earlier suspended but is now censured. The matter will again be taken up to BHU’s highest decision-making body.”
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“The Vice-Chancellor had taken cognisance of the complaint and suspended him. An inquiry committee later filed a report and BHU’s highest decision-making body censored the Professor. He can neither hold a post of responsibility in BHU nor attend any event or apply to any other college or university.”
SK Chaubey was suspended in October last year over sexual misconduct allegations by students of his department. In June, the BHU executive council, the highest decision-making body of the varsity, revoked his suspension. However, it censured and restricted him for taking academic classes. SK Chaubey returned to taking classes a few days ago, triggering protests, a student said
The students had complained that during a tour to Pune in October 2018, Chaubey had body shamed some of the girls and had passed lewd comments. The students lodged a complaint against the professor after returning from the tour. The BHU administration set up a committee to probe the allegations after which the professor was suspended. The committee which based its reports on statements of the students, found Chaubey guilty.
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