The Delhi Police had registered an FIR against Congress MP and former JNU professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam days after he was removed from his post by the institution.
The FIR was lodged at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station on Sunday based on a complaint and documents submitted by the JNU’s Chief Security Officer.
The incident comes two days after the university sacked Akoijam after its internal committee investigated allegations of sexual misconduct against him and recommended “major punishment”.
The Professor was dismissed from the institution after he faced allegations of sexual harassment by 11 female students.
Akoijam meanwhile denied the accusations against him and labelled the allegations a “political witch hunt”, The Print reported. He also accused the BJP of concocting false charges against him to silence his voice ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
According to the FIR, the JNU CSO said, “The allegations against Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Centre for Studies of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, JNU, have been examined by the Internal Committee, and after assessment of witnesses, defence witnesses, and other material came on record.”
It also states that the incident that triggered their probe was not isolated.
“The defendant’s own statement, witness accounts, and independent evidence, when assessed cumulatively, establish a recurring pattern of inappropriate personal interaction, sexually suggestive conduct, and unwelcome physical contact. In addition, it created an intimidating, offensive, and hostile learning environment with inadequate professional boundaries in interaction with female students,” it added. The FIR invokes Sections 75, 75(1)(i), 75(1)(iv), and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Meanwhile, several BJP women workers were detained after they clashed with Congress workers outside the Congress headquarters at Tilak Library in Jamshedpur. A dozen workers were reportedly injured in the clash as the Congress alleged that the BJP workers pelted stones at the office. A police force was deployed outside the Congress office, and both sides were dispersed. Police officials assured action would be taken against those responsible for stone pelting.
The BJP’s Mahila Morcha organised protests in several states. The protests began with sloganeering and quickly escalated into a violent clash at some locations. The march took place at around 2 pm regarding the inaction of the Congress against the professor.
In UP’s Sitapur, officials set up a barricade and prevented the women from proceeding with the march before they reached the Congress office.
