HC quashes molestation charge against D.U. professor

The Delhi High Court has quashed molestation charge against a Delhi University professor, saying that there is no evidence to proceed in the matter.

The molestation charge against Professor Bidyut Chakrabarty was levelled by an employee of the university. Following lodging of an FIR by the complainant, the Maurice Nagar police investigated the case.

On completion of the probe, the police filed a report with the court concerned saying that no evidence was found to sustain the charge. However, instead of requesting the court to close the case, the police left the matter to it to summon the professor if it deemed fit.

Prof. Chakrabarty had moved the High Court seeking quashing of the charge.

Allowing his petition, Justice S.N. Dhingra said : In view of the fact that there was no evidence that the alleged incident had taken place or the petitioner had threatened the complainant or molested her as alleged, rather the sequence of events shows that the scolding had taken place on the employees on their no being present during working hours, I consider that no proceedings could be initiated against the petitioner keeping in view the charge-sheet filed by the police which was more in the nature of a closure report. I, therefore, allow this petition.’’

The investigating officer had made enquiries from different staff members where the professor was posted as director on deputation and from tea vendors and other witnesses available outside the premises to find out the truth. But no one had supported the charge.

Expressing surprise over the move of the investigating agency, Justice Dhingra said: ``Normally whenever after investigation if no evidence comes on record to confirm commission of crime, a closure report is filed. However, in this case instead of filing a closure report, a strange report was filed by the police that though there was no evidence to confirm the incident, however, court may still summon the accused, if it considers appropriate.’’