In a major development in the sexual harassment case of JNU, the university’s internal regulator cleared two professors named together in two different complaints and also issued identical warnings to the complainants for “advertising” the issue.
The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the Jawaharlal Nehru University conducted the investigations in the matter and came to a conclusion that professors Mahendra P Lama and Rajesh Kharat were not involved in any misconduct, according to a report in The Indian Express.
“It was observed during the proceedings that the complainant herself was advertising about her complaint on her Facebook and through other electronic media and informed the public at large. Hence, the complainant should be issued a warning to not indulge in such act in future because this kind of act by any of the complainants, defendants and witnesses damages the inquiry procedure and the affected parties. This kind of a public propaganda also damages the image of the institution,” the recommendations of the panel read.
According to media reports, two complaints were filed earlier this year in January related to incidents taking place in 2013 and 2017. The complaints were filed with JNU’s ICC.
An e-mail sent by one of the two complainants, addressed to Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar among others, had gone viral.
“I write with regards to the complaints that I have registered with ICC on 8th January 2018. I had registered a complaint of sexual harassment against Prof. M.P. Lama and Prof.Rajesh kharat.
“The two professors have not been restraint from going to SIS building and the Centre for South Asian Studies. Moreover they are on the panel of interviewers in the on going admissions process. Why (have) such people have been interested with such responsibilities pending multiple inquires against them in ICC?
“I hereby request you to remove Prof. Mahendra P. Lama and Prof. Rajesh Kharat from the interview panel of CSAS immediately and suspend them until inquires reach its logical conclusion. There are strong possibilities that if they are not removed from the panel and suspended immediately, the inquiry will be influenced,” read the email.
The complainants didn’t approach the police in the matter.