Chargesheet against DU prof accused of sexually assaulting minor

The officer added that the girl told her friend she was feeling uncomfortable with the professor’s behaviour

Delhi Police have filed a 250-page chargesheet against a Delhi University professor accused of sexually assaulting a minor student in December 2023. Officials said the case was registered under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in May 2024, nearly five months after the alleged incident.

A senior police officer said the chargesheet, submitted in July, includes the victim’s statement and testimony from a friend. (Representational image)

A senior police officer said the chargesheet, submitted in July, includes the victim’s statement and testimony from a friend to whom she confided about the incident through messages on the same day. “In the chargesheet, we had attached the statement of the victim in which she had shared details of the incident. Another key submission is the witness – the victim’s friend – in whom the victim had confided on the same day in messages,” the officer said.

The officer added that the girl told her friend she was feeling uncomfortable with the professor’s behaviour. “In messages, she informed her friend that the professor was behaving in an unusual and unprofessional manner. She told her that she was feeling uncomfortable and wanted to leave the same place,” the officer said. Screenshots of the chat have been added to the chargesheet.

Police said the professor was “bound down by law” on May 12, days after an FIR was registered on May 7 under section 10 (aggravated sexual assault) and section 12 (sexual harassment) of the Pocso Act, as well as section 74 (outraging modesty of a woman) and section 79 (words or gestures to outrage a woman’s modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The officer noted that police are still waiting for the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) report. “Despite a year and a half having passed, they are yet to submit it to the police. Whenever they share with us, we’ll file a supplementary chargesheet,” the officer said.

The case stems from a complaint filed by a Ramjas College student, who alleged sexual harassment by the professor on December 2, 2023. Members of the college student union alleged this was not the first complaint against the teacher, citing at least three earlier allegations, including a major 2021 case that was later withdrawn. Following protests in January 2024, the professor resigned on January 8.