The principal of Ramanujan College, Delhi University, has been suspended following harassment allegations by a faculty member. A probe committee has submitted its report to the Vice-Chancellor, and the case will now be reviewed by the Internal Complaints Committee.
The principal of Ramanujan College, Delhi University, has been suspended after a faculty member accused him of harassment and misconduct. The complaint was filed on March 13, and the suspension was enforced on September 18 following the submission of a probe panel’s report.
University officials confirmed that a three-member committee was constituted to review the allegations. The panel’s findings have been placed before Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh and will now be examined further by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The university has not issued an official statement on the matter so far.
The principal, meanwhile, has rejected the charges. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office on September 13, he termed the allegations as “false, fabricated, politically motivated, and baseless.” He alleged the complaint was “a coordinated effort by the faculty member and her colleagues” to “discredit and remove” him, claiming it was filed soon after her promotion was withheld due to “incomplete documentation”.
He further stated that he has faced “immense mental, emotional, and professional distress” and sought protection against what he described as “malicious and politically driven harassment”. According to him, he was subjected to pressure to clear the promotion and was warned of being framed in a harassment case if he refused.
The principal also questioned the process, arguing that the complaint was not initially forwarded to the ICC as required under the UGC norms and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. He alleged he was being compelled to resign under the threat of suspension.
“I have never indulged in any inappropriate conduct, sexual or otherwise, with any colleague or individual,” he wrote, appealing for the “dismissal of the unsubstantiated and manipulated charges.”
The ICC will now review the panel’s findings before the university announces its final decision.
Read Also: DUSU Elections Record 39.36 per cent Turnout, Up from 2024 Amidst Clashes and Controversies
Featured Image Source: The Telegraph
Richa Choudhary