Bengaluru: Transfer, no punishment for sexual harassment

Bengaluru: A day after the Deccan Chronicle expose on the alleged sexual harassment in a government-run women's college on Sheshadri Road, next to Vidhana Soudha, the state government continued with its stubborn decision not to suspend the accused lecturer, saying action will be taken only after an internal inquiry is completed.

Interestingly, neither the Department of Collegiate Education (DCE) nor the college has lodged a complaint with the police. A DCE officer told Deccan Chronicle that the accused professor has been transferred to the Jewargi Government First Grade College to ensure that he does not influence the inquiry. "He will be kept under suspension if he is found guilty by the inquiry committee. There is no question of protecting anyone," he said.

But many asked how anyone could be sure that the lecturer would not repeat the same behaviour in the new college. "Suspension is not punishment.

Instead of sending him on deputation, the DCE should have kept him under suspension at least till the completion of the inquiry," said Ms Sudha Bhat, an advocate. "There are girl students everywhere. This should have been kept in mind before transferring him," she said.

Panel begins probe
Sources in the DCE and the college said that immediately after the college principal received the complaint from the victim, she placed it before the sexual harassment committee of the college. When the committee summoned the accused lecturer for questioning, he sought time to furnish the reply. Later the issue was brought to the notice of senior officials of DCE. Sources said that a committee, consisting of social workers, women police officers and members of student associations, is probing. M.N. Ajay Nagabhushan, director, DCE said that action will be taken against the guilty based on the committee report.