Sexual harassment plaint against Faridkot college HoD: DC asks for fresh probe report

Faridkot Deputy commissioner Kumar Saurabh Raj has directed a local complaints committee probing sexual harassment allegations against a head of department at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College to file a fresh probe report by December 2. Additional deputy commissioner Paramjit Kaur is the chairperson of this committee and she had submitted her report on Saturday. The DC added that if report was not completed by December 2, they will have to seek more time from the state women commission.

A senior woman tutor had filed the complaint in August this year, but no FIR has been registered and all internal inquiries are pending. The DC had ordered the inquiry on September 2 and it is mandatory to complete the inquiry within three months, hence the December 2 deadline. For the past week, the tutor and student organisations supporting her have been protesting outside the office of the DC.

Decision after legal opinion

The DC’s direction has come after he took legal opinion on the report from the district attorney. Sources said that complaints committee report was sent to the office of the DA, Rajnish Goyal, who was not satisfied and recommended that certain ‘highlighted facts’ be re-investigated. The DA also observed that the senior woman tutor was not given ‘proper’ opportunity for cross-examination.

The victim has also sent an email to the DC, alleging that the committee did not conduct the cross-examination of a witness.

“Yes, I agree with the observation of the DA and the woman, who sent me an email, saying that she was not able to cross-examine one witness. She must be given an opportunity. Based on the opinion of DA and the request of the complainant, I have returned the report to the chairman and asked her to file a fresh report, taking care of all the highlighted issues and the request of the doctor,” the DC added.

Meanwhile, organisations supporting the woman tutor have announced that they would hold a protest march in the city over what they alleged was inaction on the complaint on Tuesday.