Dalit teacher accuses four IIT-K profs of harassment, files FIR
KANPUR:A dalit assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) on Sunday night registered a case against four professors of the institute, accusing them of harassment, mental torture and making casteist remarks against him, police said.
Circle officer, Kalyanpur, Rajesh Pandey said a case had been registered against four professors under Section 500 of the IPC, Section 66 of the Information Technology Act and Section B-2B (A) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Since punishment under these sections attract less than seven years of sentence, the accused persons will not be arrested immediately. Action will be initiated after completing investigation into the matter,” Pandey said.
He said assistant professor Dr Subramanium Sadrela had named Prof Rajiv Shekhar (now director of IIT-Dhanbad), Prof Sanjay Mittal, Prof Eshan and Prof CS Upadhyay in the FIR.
Sadrela also accused two members of the institute’s board of governors (BoG) – Prof Debopam and Prof MLN Rao – of influencing the BoG to exempt the four professors from the provisions of the SC/ST Act. The police, however, did not include their names in the FIR. As the news spread, students and senior faculty members staged a sit-in in front of the residence of IIT-K director Prof Abhay Karindkar for about two hours on Monday.
While the teachers threatened to boycott examinations beginning Tuesday and tender collective resignation, the students said they would launch an agitation if the FIR was not expunged.
The director assured them that necessary action would be taken.
In the FIR, Sadrela alleged that the four professors made castiest remarks against him soon after his appointment as assistant professor in the department of aerospace on January 1, 2018. He claimed that they also challenged his appointment.
A CASE HAD BEEN LODGED UNDER SECTION 500 OF IPC, SECTION 66 OF IT ACT AND SECTION B2B (A) OF SC/ST (PREVENTION OF ATROCITIES) ACT.
Sadrela said they also accused him of plagiarism in his thesis as pressure tactics and put him under mental torture. He also lodged a complaint with IIT-Kanpur and SC/ST Commission in this connection in January.
Acting on his complaint, the SC/ST Commission directed the IIT-Kanpur to register a case against the professors. However, the professors obtained a stay from the Allahabad high court in April.
Later in August, the IIT-K asked retired judge Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui to investigate the matter following the commission’s order. Justice (retd) Siddiqui also indicted the professors.
A decision on the matter was to be taken by the BoG but it could meet only on October 17 after several deferments.
The IIT-Kanpur gave the minutes of this meeting to the four professors asking them to file rejoinders. While the process of initiating action against the professors was on, Sadrela lodged an FIR against them on Sunday.
The BoG decided that the high administrative grant of Prof Sanjay Mittal would be stopped and he would not be given the benefits of Seventh Pay Commission for one year.
It also ordered demotion of Prof CS Upadhyaya as assistant professor and issued stern warning to Prof Eshan. The BoG also sought permission from the President of India to initiate action against Prof Rajiv Shekhar who is the director of IITDhanbad.