NEW DELHI, APR 15,
A JNU professor has been booked for allegedly molesting a research scholar.
The 37-year-old PhD scholar approached the police on Friday night alleging that Professor Ajay Kumar of the School of Social Sciences misbehaved with her and sent her inappropriate emails and text messages.
“Based on her complaint, a case under Sections 354 (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Milind Mahadeo Dumbere.
The Professor, however, denied the allegations made against him. “All the allegations made against me are false. She has worked with me on a lot of projects earlier. However, now she is making these allegations just to get her PhD cleared within a short span of time.”
“She submitted her first draft only on April 2 and wanted me to clear it within 10 days as she wants to travel abroad for further studies. However, I had clearly told her that I need a maximum of two months to go through it, as per procedure. It was then that she started thinking that I am delaying it to harass her. No one can expect to get a submission order within 15 days,” he said. “I had blocked her on WhatsApp as she kept pestering me about the same issue despite me having replied to her on email. Rather, she and another Professor friend of hers abused me and threatened me with severe consequences if I did not clear the dissertation.”
