Mangaluru: Trouble is mounting for two senior faculty of Mangalore University. While Arabi U, professor, department of post-graduate studies in economics, is under the lens for sexually harassing a student, A M Khan, former registrar, is facing the heat for not acting promptly on the internal complaints committee report against the former. The visit of the National Commission for Women (NCW) to the university on Thursday has compounded their problems further.
Shyamala S Kundar, member, NCW who discussed this issue with P S Yadapadithaya, vice-chancellor, directed him to place Khan under suspension forthwith. She also directed the VC to issue a show-cause notice to Arabi for his misdemeanour. There has been a similar incident in the past around 6 years ago when the university compulsorily retired an employee charged similarly without benefits. The court upheld the same later, Shyamala said.
“The vice-chancellor has assured to issue a show cause notice to Arabi after getting the legal opinion the university has sought from its counsel to make the case foolproof,” Shyamala told TOI. “It is the view of the Commission that authorities concerned must provide instant justice to women who fall victims to injustice. If a woman feels she is denied justice and has to wait for two years as in this case, they will not come forth in the future,” she said.
Yadapadithaya said the university has taken the views of the Commission seriously. “Since the state government appointed Khan to the statutory post in the university, the university cannot initiate action against him, although he is still an employee,” the VC told TOI.
In an interim development, Khan pursuant to the memo issued to him by the university sought copies of documents pertaining to the case and these have been provided to him, VC said. The former registrar has sought 15 days’ time to reply to the memo after this latest development, VC said.