JU student who accused faculty member of sexual harassment files complaint against another teacher

A first-year postgraduate female student of Jadavpur University (JU), who had accused a faculty member of sexually harassing her during an examination last week, now accused another teacher of declaring her “guilty of a crime” even before the start of an investigation into her complaint.

By “crime”, she was referring to resorting to unfair means during the semester examination, of which she was accused, according to a report by PTI.

To recall, the first complaint was sent to the university Registrar Snehamanju Basu on Wednesday, February 21, while the second one was mailed today, on Tuesday, February 27.

In the first email, the student from the university’s Journalism and Mass Communication Department alleged that the accused teacher, a former head of the department (HoD), frisked her "uncomfortably", "in front of male students” during the first-semester examination alleging she was cheating.

In the second email, the student said the incident was reported in the media which quoted another teacher who came in support of the accused professor.

"In these media reports, I could see that one person, a professor, who is a representative of Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA), made statements to the press already insinuating I am guilty of a crime, even before the commencement of an investigation," the woman said on February 27.

She claimed that such a stand by a senior teacher, who is not part of her department, may influence the investigation process and she is afraid of not getting justice.

She also said that following her first email, the university authorities have postponed the examinations and other students are suffering because of her complaint.

JUTA General Secretary Partha Pratim Roy, whose statement was reported in the media in connection with the incident, refused to comment on the second email, added PTI.

Roy had told PTI earlier that according to information available with JUTA, the student was caught by a lady invigilator while resorting to unfair means during a test.

“If such charges are levelled against invigilators, we will think twice about continuing that duty,” he had said.