Delhi: Rape charge on Jamia prof over promise breach

A senior police officer said the woman, also an assistant professor at the university, approached them on Monday with a complaint and the arrest was made the same day

A 36-year-old assistant professor with the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University was arrested for allegedly raping a 31-year-old colleague on the pretext of marriage, police said on Tuesday.

Police said that according to the complaint, the two started a physical relationship in June 2024 and the man promised to marry her. (Representative photo)

A senior police officer said the woman, also an assistant professor at the university, approached them on Monday with a complaint and the arrest was made the same day. She said she met the man on April 26, 2024, at the university, after which he allegedly made advances towards her.

“The accused approached her on social media first and subsequently, shared his mobile number. The two started talking on WhatsApp and then met on May 8 at a coffee shop in New Friends Colony...he proposed to her to get together,” the officer, not wishing to be named, said.

Police said that according to the complaint, the two started a physical relationship in June 2024 and the man promised to marry her. “Eventually, their families also got in touch regarding marriage arrangements,” police said.

In October, the father of the accused allegedly refused to consent to their marriage due to a “mismatch in horoscopes”.

“Over the last few months, the woman often tried to lodge a formal complaint but she couldn’t. On Monday, she gathered the courage and reported the matter,” the officer said.

Based on her complaint, a case on charges of rape was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhits. The accused was arrested, produced in court and sent to judicial custody, police said.

JMI University administration did not comment on the matter.