College professor booked for sexually harassing student

A government college professor has been booked for allegedly seeking sexual favours from a girl student in return of passing her in the examination, police said today.
The complainant, currently studying in second semester at the college, was being harassed by the accused, identified as veterinary professor Barjesh Patel, who used to regularly call her on her mobile phone, talk to her in indecent language and demand sexual favours from her, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Adhaartal area, Isha Pant told reporters today.
"However, following a complaint lodged by the victim, the professor also filed a counter-complaint on September 2, alleging that the girl and her father, who worked in the police department, kept pressurising him to pass her in the examination in exchange of money," Pant said.

The girl also handed over to police a CD which purportedly contained professor's conversations with her, he said.
The complainant said that she had also informed a woman professor, Dr Sonam Jain about Patel's demands, who advised her to obey him for her "better future".
According to police, the victim said that in the first semester she was deliberately failed by the concerned professor. However, after she filed a complaint in this regard, he passed her in the exam.

However, despite performing well in the exam, she was again failed by the accused in the second semester, police said.
After going through the conversations in the CD, police filed a case under section 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and section 66 of the IT Act against Patel and the woman professor.

The accused professor and his wife are absconding. Police are yet to question the other woman professor named in the complaint.
Meanwhile, police are probing both the complaints and have sent the CD for forensic investigation.