RAJKOT: The Rajkot-based
Saurashtra University (SU) on Friday suspended professor Nilesh Panchal of the bioscience department after its
sexual harassment committee found him guilty of sexually harassing a 26-year-old female
PhD student.
The preliminary probe conducted by the committee also revealed that Panchal, who is in his late 40s, had allegedly sexually harassed another PhD student, who apparently left her
doctorate course midway. Some women staff members of SU also raised similar
allegations and said that girl students feared entering Panchal’s chamber alone, SU officials said.
The committee’s report was place before the SU syndicate on Friday, which decided to form a committee headed by a retired judge to probe the allegation in detail and decide on termination of the accused professor. However, the PhD student, who lodged complaint against Panchal, wants university to file the FIR against the professor first.
The PhD student had registered complaint against Panchal on August 30, following which the SU authorities had recorded the professor’s statement the next day. The victim had alleged that Panchal used to call her to his chamber and make sexual advances at her. When she stopped going to his chamber, the professor allegedly threatened to sabotage her PhD thesis.
The case was taken up by the SU sexual harassment committee after five-day Janmashtami break on September 6 with deposition of Panchal’s past students, other female students and staff members. The committee submitted the report to SU vice chancellor Dr Nilambari Dave on September 10.
Addressing the media after the syndicate meeting, Dave said, “The syndicate has unanimously decided to suspend Panchal with immediate effect and cancel his guideship permanently. Moreover, a probe will be conducted by a retired judge. As per the provision of Ordinance 205, we are required to conduct an independent inquiry before issuing termination order.”
When contacted, the victim said she was happy with SU’s action. “But I want university to register an FIR in this case. It they won’t file an FIR, then I will approach the police with the report of the sexual harassment committee,” she told TOI.
However, the VC said that the decision on FIR will taken after the report of independent inquiry.
In wake of the incident, the varsity has decided to make stringent norms with regard to students visiting chambers of faculty members. Dave said, “We have decided to install glass doors and closed circuit television cameras in the chambers of all the professors.”
“We will also approach female students who have not completed their PhD for more than five years and ask them the reasons,” Dave added.
According to SU officials, total four female students, including the victim, were enrolled for PhD under Panchal. One of them was daughter of Panchal’s relative, who completed the thesis. Two others left the programme midway.
