In a significant development, the Gujarat University (GU) has suspended one of its professors, accused of lewd behaviour by a PhD student, on grounds of 'moral turpitude'.'
The decision was taken on Wednesday morning after the executive council of GU went through the report submitted by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which verified the CCTV footage according to the woman's complaint.
On March 23, a PhD student of GU made a written complaint to the authorities against her guide and professor Vashishth Bhatt of Chemistry department, accusing him of lewd behaviour and exchange of obscene conversations. On March 25, when the matter reached the university, the ICC was instructed to conduct a hearing in the case. Based on the committee's primary report, Bhatt was sent on forced leave and was barred from the campus on the same day. Whereas, the second report had an analysis of the CCTV footage that the committee procured from Hotel Kohinoor Plaza in Vadaj.
The secondary report stated the student's claim to be true, as verified by the CCTV footage, and recommended that the professor be suspended, having found him guilty on the grounds of 'moral turpitude'.
Based on the report, the university has suspended the professor and initiated a departmental inquiry against him, said Divijaysinh Gohil, a member of the executive council. The syndicate resolved that a new working module, new guidelines for faculty, students and employees should be framed.
"The new rules will make it necessary for any professor wanting to take students out for any work, to inform the department head about the same," a source said.
As per the case details, the complainant had claimed that the accused had taken her out for lunch on March 20 during which, he asked her to sit next to him, which she refused to do. The duo went to check a hotel room after Bhatt suggested that they rest for a while. The girl objected to the idea and they both left the hotel and returned to GU. Once back at the university, the professor tore the bill of the restaurant and asked her to forget everything.
In her complaint to the ICC, the girl also stated that he would make her sit for hours in his cabin to discuss research work but nothing constructive would be discussed. Sources said, "CCTV footage showed that they both first had lunch at the hotel, then they went to check rooms, in the presence of hotel staff and then left the hotel."
On the day of the complaint, the complainant was supported by one of her classmates, who validated her claims of lewd behaviour by the professor. Another girl, who was pursuing her PhD under professor Bhatt, too, had written to the university, asking to change her guide.