Fresh probe in Ramjas harassment case
23 May 2012 10:01 AM GMT
The Delhi high court has set aside an inquiry report which alleged that Ramjas College vice-principal B N Ray had sexually harassed male students. Based on the report, Ray was sacked earlier.
The court on Monday had also directed a fresh probe into the allegations against Ray and directed the Delhi University's college in north Delhi to prepare a fresh report after allowing Ray to cross-examine the witnesses.
A division bench of Justice B D Ahmed and Justice V K Jain sought the fresh report within six months.
In October 2007, Ray was accused of sexually harassing the male students of the college. The students, after lodging the complaint, boycotted his classes. The court allowed the plea of Ray alleging that the inquiry procedure contemplated under the University of Delhi Ordinance was violative of the constitutional right to equality as he was not allowed to cross examine the witnesses who deposed against him.
On the basis of the written complaints and interaction with the complainants, the college enquiry committee concluded that there was a prima facie case of sexual harassment against him and started a probe against him.
The copies of the complaints were not provided to him, Ray said.
'The findings recorded and the recommendations made by the enquiry committee/sub-committee are hereby quashed. The respondents (inquiry committee) will supply copies of all previous complaints and statements of witnesses, to the petitioner, within four weeks, unless such complaints/statements have already been supplied to him. This would include the statements recorded by the Committee as well as the statements recorded by the Sub-Committee.' said the court.
'After the cross-examination of the witnesses, the petitioner (Ray) would be given an opportunity to examine witnesses in his defence,' the court had held.
The court on Monday had also directed a fresh probe into the allegations against Ray and directed the Delhi University's college in north Delhi to prepare a fresh report after allowing Ray to cross-examine the witnesses.
A division bench of Justice B D Ahmed and Justice V K Jain sought the fresh report within six months.
In October 2007, Ray was accused of sexually harassing the male students of the college. The students, after lodging the complaint, boycotted his classes. The court allowed the plea of Ray alleging that the inquiry procedure contemplated under the University of Delhi Ordinance was violative of the constitutional right to equality as he was not allowed to cross examine the witnesses who deposed against him.
On the basis of the written complaints and interaction with the complainants, the college enquiry committee concluded that there was a prima facie case of sexual harassment against him and started a probe against him.
The copies of the complaints were not provided to him, Ray said.
'The findings recorded and the recommendations made by the enquiry committee/sub-committee are hereby quashed. The respondents (inquiry committee) will supply copies of all previous complaints and statements of witnesses, to the petitioner, within four weeks, unless such complaints/statements have already been supplied to him. This would include the statements recorded by the Committee as well as the statements recorded by the Sub-Committee.' said the court.
'After the cross-examination of the witnesses, the petitioner (Ray) would be given an opportunity to examine witnesses in his defence,' the court had held.
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