Two varsity profs held for molestation

The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) police, on Friday, arrested two professors of the University of Mumbai for allegedly molesting three members of the university staff at the university's Santacruz campus three months ago.

The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) police, on Friday, arrested two professors of the University of Mumbai for allegedly molesting three members of the university staff at the university's Santacruz campus three months ago.

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The police said that the duo's anticipatory bail application was rejected last week, after which they were arrested on Friday from their offices at the campus.

According to the BKC police, the accused were identified as Bapu Chougule, 57, head of physical training department and Nilesh Lohar, 39, an assistant professor -- both Wadala residents. The police said that the three victims - a lecturer, 22, librarian, 21 and a sweeper, 28 - who are staff at the university's Kalina campus, submitted an online complaint on the Mumbai police website around three months ago alleging that the duo had molested them.

The university, the police said, had also organised a meeting and issued a warning to the duo after the victims approached them. After the complaint was forwarded to the BKC police, a preliminary investigation was conducted.

"We had received complaints which were forwarded to the women's development cell," said Naresh Chandra, pro vice-chancellor of the university.

However, WDC chairperson Kranti Jejurkar said, "Our findings were not so serious to warrant arrest," said Jejurkar.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under sections 354 (for assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (2) (for criminal intimidation) and 509 (for word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The accused, the police said, had applied for anticipatory bail with the sessions court after learning that a case had been registered against them at BKC police station. The court, however, rejected their bail plea on December 4.

"After receiving a copy of the rejected anticipatory bail applications on Thursday, we arrested the duo on Friday. They were produced before a metropolitan court on Friday that remanded them to judicial custody for two weeks," said an official from the BKC police.