The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed the arrest of St Stephen’s college professor Satish Kumar, accused of molesting a PhD student, till August 17. Justice Indermeet Kaur also issued notice to the Delhi Police on Kumar’s plea directing it to file a status report with regard to the progress made in the probe of the case before next date of hearing.
“Notice. Status report be filed by the respondent (Delhi Police). Meanwhile, the petitioner (Kumar) should join the investigation as and when asked by the respondent,” the judge said, adding that till next date of hearing, August 17, the petitioner will not be arrested.
The court’s order came on the plea filed by Kumar, an Assistant Professor in the college’s Chemistry Department, challenging the trial court’s June 23 order by which the relief sought by him was declined.
Senior advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Kumar, sought anticipatory bail, claiming that the allegations levelled by the girl were “concocted” and there was not a single eyewitness to any of the incidents mentioned in the complaint. “No allegation of molestation was levelled in the mail or the complaint she (girl) wrote to the college principal. The allegation levelled in the FIR were false and fabricated,” Kumar’s counsel said.
However, the counsel appearing for the Delhi Police opposed Kumar’s anticipatory bail saying yesterday (Thursday) the complainant (girl) handed over tape of the conversation between the accused and the principal in her presence and Kumar was heard influencing the college head. The student had on June 19 lodged an FIR against 40-year-old Kumar, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by him and that the college principal tried to protect him when the matter was reported to the college authorities. Kumar’s counsel also contended that the student had written three complaints to the college principal and the institution’s Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) which also do not reflect any sexual harrasment.
Hariharan also submitted that there is no chance of his client absconding. However, Kumar’s plea was opposed by the public prosecutor and the victim’s advocate on the ground that the allegations against the assistant professor were very serious and that he was in a dominant position.