St Stephen's student accuses professor of sexual assault

A student of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s college has accused a college professor of sexual harassment and alleged that the principal tried to protect him when the matter was reported to the college authorities.

The student who is doing her PhD under the supervision of Satish Kumar, an assistant professor in the college’s chemistry department, has lodged an FIR against him alleging that she was sexually assaulted by him.

“An FIR has been registered under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against the accused in connection with the complaint,” Deputy Commissioner of Police North Madhur Verma said.

The victim has also alleged in her complaint that college principal Valson Thampu had “criminally intimidated her to give a written application to him expressing her consent to close the matter in college itself in order to not cause any delay or problems in completion of her PhD”.          

Thampu has, however, not been named in the FIR.

The girl has also claimed in her complaint that when her parents tried to approach the accused before the matter was reported to college authorities, “he had profusely apologised to them and assured of not repeating the act in future”.

Thampu confirmed that the victim had raised the complaint with him but denied allegations of trying to protect Kumar.

“The matter has been referred to the college’s internal complaint committee, which deals with such complaints and the issue is being looked into,” he said.

“The girl had raised the matter with me but had ‘insisted in writing’ that the issue not be treated as one of sexual harassment but to solely ensure that her PhD is completed on time,” he added.