Stephen teacher’s anticipatory bail plea dismissed

A court here on Tuesday dismissed an anticipatory bail plea of a St. Stephen’s college teacher accused of molesting a <g data-gr-id="32">PhD</g> student.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Garg dismissed the plea of Satish Kumar, an assistant professor in the chemistry department of the college. On the victim’s allegation, police registered a case against him on different charges, including stalking and sexual harassment.

In the FIR lodged on June 19, the complainant said Satish Kumar “sexually assaulted” her on October 15, <g data-gr-id="37">2013</g> inside a laboratory. According to the complaint, he also followed the victim to a metro station close to the college when she fled after freeing herself from him. The victim also alleged that she was first harassed in May 2013 in the same laboratory. She said it continued despite her refusals. 

In her complaint, she also said that Kumar stopped guiding her in her research and kept a watch on her social media accounts.

The complainant also accused college principal Valson Thampu of siding with the accused.

In his plea, Satish Kumar termed the allegations levelled by the woman “concocted” and said there was not even a single eyewitness to any of the incidents. He said there was no need to arrest him as he was ready to join the investigation.

The public prosecutor and the victim’s advocate, however, opposed the plea saying the allegation against Satish Kumar was “very serious” and he was at a dominant position.

Public prosecutor RK Tanwar argued that Satish Kumar has already tampered with some evidence with the help of the college principal. He said the police needed the accused’s custodial interrogation as his mobile phone was required to obtain the call details and a thorough probe was necessary in the case.

On the day of the incident, on October 15, 2013, Satish Kumar called the woman at least 25 times on her mobile phone but she did not answer his call and later on he tried to assure her that it will not happen again, said police.

Satish Kumar’s counsel, however, contended that he could not have molested or followed the girl as he was 85 percent physically disabled and walked with the help of a stick. In a statement earlier, St. Stephen’s College had said that it was uncompromisingly committed to the safety and dignity of women on the campus and that no effort will be spared to ensure that justice was done.