Molested Stephen’s student demands principal’s ouster
4 July 2015 11:35 PM GMT
"Valson Thampu must resign. He has no right to continue being the principal of St Stephen's. If he stays, students in future might suffer the way I am suffering," she said.
In the FIR lodged on June 19, the doctoral student said Satish Kumar, also the college's bursar, had "sexually assaulted" her on October 15, 2013, in a laboratory.
The demand was echoed by the Association of Old Stephanians, which said <g data-gr-id="54">Thampu</g> "instead of supporting the victim tried to hush up the matter". "Thampu is as culpable as Satish Kumar. We hope the Delhi Police takes a criminal action against <g data-gr-id="55">Thampu</g> as well. We demand that the college’s supreme council and governing body to sack him with immediate effect," the association said in a letter.
The victim has also released audio clips, wherein Thampu is allegedly asking her to withdraw her complaint."I have recorded the conversations on my phone and have handed it over to the police," she said.
An HRD Ministry official said it would not intervene in the matter, saying the issue was being handled by the college's Internal Complaints Committee as per the guidelines of the apex court.
However, the Delhi High Court put the arrest of Satish Kumar on hold till August 17.
Justice <g data-gr-id="51">Indermeet</g> Kaur asked the Delhi Police not to arrest Satish <g data-gr-id="52">Kumar,</g> after he filed an anticipatory bail plea apprehending arrest. The court has issued a notice to the city police and asked them to file a status report on the investigation in the case.
The court also asked Kumar to join the investigation when asked by the police. Demanding action against the culprits, Delhi University's Executive Council member Abha Dev Habib said there should be a time-bound inquiry into the matter.
"As per the recording, Thampu has been adding to the victimisation of the girl. We do not want the institution to be headed by such a person," she said.
Despite several attempts, <g data-gr-id="45">Thampu</g> was not available for a comment.
ABVP stages protests at St Stephen's college
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday staged protests at St Stephen's College in the North campus over the alleged sexual harassment of a doctoral student by an assistant professor of the college. Waving flags, members of the RSS's students wing barged into the college campus and sat outside principal Valson Thampu's <g data-gr-id="56">office,</g> while raising slogans and demanding his resignation. ABVP's Delhi state secretary Saket Bahuguna said: "We condemn the attempts of Stephen's principal to mislead the victim and impose his views on her."
"The audio recording made public by the victim today (Friday) clearly shows his involvement in trying to cover up the crime. We demand his immediate resignation. Also, the university administration should take adequate steps to ensure that such cases are dealt with in the right manner by the HoDs and college principal." "In this case, the DU administration should also initiate <g data-gr-id="57">inquiry</g> against the principal," he said. "We will stand by the girl till she gets justice," ABVP state secretary Rohit Chahal said. Delhi University Students' Union president Mohit Nagar, vice president Parvesh Malik, joint secretary Ashutosh Mathur also participated in the protest.
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