JNU molestation case: Professor booked for harassing students in class

A JNU student said, 'The professor makes open demands for sex and comments on the figure of almost every girl'

A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against a professor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for allegedly sexually abusing the female students in the class.

The professor has been identified as Atul Johri, who teaches life science at the university.

A group of nine students have been protesting against the professor for the past days in the campus.

The FIR has been lodged on the basis of a complaint from seven out of the nine protesting students in the national capital's Vasant Kunj North Police Station.

Police have been investing the case under Section 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

However, talking to PTI, the professor, a vocal supporter of the university administration's compulsory attendance initiative, claimed that he was being targeted for his stand on the issue.

At a press meet held on the campus, the women students of the SLS issued a statement that said, "The professor often makes sexually-coloured remarks, open demands for sex and comments on the figure of almost every girl. If a girl objects, he holds a grudge against her."

Another statement issued by the students said, "There is a financial nexus between the professor and the administration. No instrument has been purchased for years, but still crores of rupees have been spent."

A 26-year-old student, who went missing and was later traced to her relative's house, had also sent an e-mail to the professor, saying, "I am leaving your so-called prestigious lab, just because you are a characterless person and have no manners when it comes to talking to girls."

Denying the allegations, the professor said, "Some girls, who have levelled the allegations against me, had received a mail from me on February 27 regarding their irregular attendance in the lab. So, they are targeting me."

The mail, which was marked to some of the students who have levelled the allegations against the professor, read, "Dear all, you are not coming to the lab on time. In many cases, even if you come, you are not in the lab the whole day."

Referring to the 26-year-old student, the mail said, "Most of the time, you are absent. Please find another lab, it is very difficult to finish PhD on time. You have already used 30 days of leave."

"It is because of these mails that I have been targeted by the students," the professor said, adding that no complaint was filed against him either with the discarded GSCASH or the Internal Complaints Committee.

The students said they were considering filing a police complaint.