Panjab varsity expels PhD scholar for ‘false’ harassment complaint

Panjab University (PU) has expelled a PhD woman student who has accused the son of Dean Students Welfare (Women) Neena Caplash of sexual harassment. Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH) termed her complaint false, following which the syndicate took the action on Thursday.

According to the complaint, on January 7, when she and her friend’s relative were coming from the market, the DSW’s son verbally abused them. When she returned after dropping her friend’s relative at Faculty Guest House, she claimed to have been harassed again. When she tried to accelerate her scooty to escape, the man deliberately hit her.

She was on the scooty and he was in a Ford Endeavour. She alleged, “He said ‘nikaal di teri hekadi’ (killed your ego).”

The woman complained to the vice-chancellor (VC) prof Arun Kumar Grover who forwarded it to the PUCASH in February.

On March 26, the issue was raised in the senate. Here, the V-C made a statement that the complaint was false. Following this, the woman sent an email to the PUCASH on March 29 and April 17, saying she would not appear before the panel as the VC had termed her complaint false.

There was another witness to the incident, who is related to friend of girl, but she also did not appear before the panel.

She also alleged that the DSW obtained a reconciliation statement from her by fraud.

Finally, on April 25, PUCASH said the complaint was false and malicious. It said the girl did not ‘appear to make’ any statement despite repeated reminders.

It also pointed out that she did not allege sexual harassment in her complaint. The panel also added that an FIR lodged on February 15 did not mention sexual harassment.