Gurugram varsity former dean held for sexually harassing colleague

Former dean of pharmaceutical sciences at Gurugram University, Dr Dhirendra Kaushik, was arrested for sexual harassment after evading police.

The former dean of the pharmaceutical sciences department of Gurugram University, who was accused of sexual harassment by a woman colleague in April this year, was arrested after a chase on Monday, said police.

Gurugram varsity former dean held for sexually harassing colleague

The man, Dr Dhirendra Kaushik, was on the run after orders were issued to arrest him for allegedly sexually abusing and molesting a junior woman colleague, police said. A city court had also rejected his anticipatory bail petition.

According to police, information was received about Kaushik’s arrival on the campus on MOnday after which a police team reached there to arrest him.However, by then, Kaushik got wind of police’s imminent arrival and fled the campus. They said the team gave chase and arrested him after intercepting his car some distance from the varsity.

Kaushik was booked in an FIR filed under sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code registered at the women’s police station in Sector 51 on April 29.

Two days after the FIR was registered, Kaushik had to relinquish his charge as dean after an internal meeting of the varsity.

The complainant, an assistant professor in Kaushik’s department, has alleged that he made objectionable comments on her physical appearance, tried to touch her without consent and asked her to accompany him to a hotel in January this year.

Subhash Boken, public relations officer, Gurugram police, said they were looking for Kaushik for several days now. “We are quizzing him. He will be produced before a court on Tuesday,” he said.

Meanwhile, varsity authorities said Kaushik could not be contacted by anyone for over a month. “He didn’t even attend the second meeting on the issue held last Saturday. There were no students on the premises on Monday as summer vacation is currently on. We didn’t have any idea that he would reach the campus on Monday,” a varsity official said, asking not to be named.