Gurugram University professor booked for sexually harassing woman colleague

GURUGRAM: A professor at a Gurugram university has been booked for alleged sexual harassment following a complaint by a woman colleague, police said on Monday. The complainant, an assistant professor, has told the police that Dhirender Kaushik, Dean of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Gurugram University, has been continuously sexually harassing her for the past four months. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against Kaushik under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at women police station, Sector 51 on Saturday, police said.

The woman professor has alleged that on April 21 the accused came to her class and started shouting at her. She alleged that Kaushik pressured her to succumb to his sexual desires and also issued a memo to her for switching class timings. The complainant also alleged that he tried to physically abuse her when she got late to class once. When contacted, Kaushik termed the allegations as “baseless”. He said due to the complainant’s negligence at work, he issued her two show-cause memos. That is why she was provoked by somebody and she complained, he added.

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The complainant said that on April 28 the accused called her to the clerk's room without any reason and started shouting at her. “At that time two clerks went out of the room. After that I was alone along with Dr Dhirender in the room. He took advantage of the situation and started molesting me. I was scared and started crying but he blocked the door of the room and did not allow me to go outside. He also threatened me that he would get me terminated,” according to her complaint.

Police said the complainant recorded her statement in court under section 164 in the Code Of Criminal Procedure. In 2018, Kaushik was also booked by police for sexual harassment when he was an assistant professor at Kurukshetra University, but the complainant later withdrew the allegations. Subhash Boken, spokesperson of Gurugram Police, said a probe is underway. Notice will be served to the accused to join the investigation, police said.