A BJP MLA from Mysuru has written to the Higher Education Department urging them to revoke the suspension of a Second Division Assistant, working in a Mysuru-based government college, who has been accused of sexual harassment.
Last month, the Department of Collegiate Education had suspended J. Jairam of Maharani’s Science College for Women after an internal complaints committee found him guilty of sexual harassment following a complaint by a student. The student’s father had submitted the complaint and audio clips of phone conversations with Jairam, where he allegedly threatened to not allow her to write the examination after as she failed to throw him a party.
In her complaint to the principal, the student said that Jairam was repeatedly calling, blackmailing and harassing her. “The student even mentioned that Jairam had threatened to tell her parents she was not attending classes as she failed to throw him a party. He had even told her that he would complain to her parents and ask them to discontinue her education,” said a source.
The committee in a written report categorically stated that Jairam misused his position and recommended action against him. They issued a showcause notice to Jairam and a notice to the victim to appear before the committee. However, since then, the complaint was withdrawn.
L. Nagendra, MLA of Chamaraja constituency in Mysuru, wrote to Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan urging him to revoke the suspension alleging that the allegation was orchestrated to malign Jairam’s image. He claimed that the allegations were false. Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Nagendra also claimed that the complaint had been withdrawn, and the committee that inquired into this allegation was dissolved. He urged the department to inquire further into the complaint.
