MNNIT director issues show cause to professor accused of sexual harassment

After serious charges of sexual harassment were levelled against a senior professor of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) by a woman research

After serious charges of sexual harassment were levelled against a senior professor of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) by a woman research scholar last week, the institute’s director Professor Rajeev Tripathi on Monday issued a show cause notice to the faculty member concerned for specifying his stand on the issue by November 21.

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The research scholar had submitted her complaint in this regard to the director and the women’s grievance cell of the institute, which has begun probing the allegations.

Tripathi too took strong cognizance of the incident and assured the scholar of an impartial inquiry.

The victim, a colleague of the accused professor’s daughter, used to visit her friend at home. She accused the professor of unwanted advances, staring at her and trying to get close to her physically by making her sit next to him. The professor has also been accused of calling the victim on her mobile phone at odd hours and indulging in inappropriate talk, an MNNIT official said requesting anonymity.

The research scholar also accused the professor of coming “to her hostel gate” late at night.

The victim lodged a complaint in this regard with the institute’s security officer who then forwarded it to the institute’s director and he, in turn, referred it to the institute’s women’s grievance cell.

Institute officials claimed that after taking cognizance of the complaint, members of the women’s grievance cell spoke to the victim and sought her mobile phone details and other documents to corroborate the allegations.