The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a showcause notice to St. Stephen’s College principal Valson Thampu asking him to explain why no action has been taken against the professor accused of molesting a research scholar.
The commission’s chairperson, Swati Maliwal, who had summoned Prof. Thampu last year in connection with the case, also asked him to refrain from making public statements and declarations on the merits of case as the matter is sub judice.
Prof. Thampu, who has been under attack for months for allegedly shielding the professor, had on Friday asserted in a Facebook post that supporting the teacher was the most “heroic” thing ever done by him.
“I have been informed that you have written several posts on your Facebook wall regarding this particular sexual harassment case wherein you seem to be taunting the complainant.
“In one post after your appearance before the commission, you had stated that ‘had the girl approached you directly for relief you would have helped her’. In another post you accused the victim of making a false and malicious complaint at the behest of one of the teachers of the college,” she said in the notice.
“You have gone ahead and called the complaint a ‘diabolic lie’ citing that a 85 per cent disabled man could never sexually assault a girl. It is shocking that despite the sexual harassment case pending before the court of law, you have in complete abuse of your authority passed comments and provided a clean chit to the accused professor,” she said.
Ms Maliwal has also sought to know why no action has been taken against the professor accused of sexually harassing the student, and recommended that college administration takes corrective steps for immediate relief to the complainant, mandated under the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013.
The DCW has given Prof. Thampu one week to reply to the showcause notice, failing which appropriate action will be initiated as per law.
Ms Maliwal said Prof. Thampu’s Facebook posts indicated that he was pursuing a “personal vendetta” against the complainant. “It app-ears you have handled such a sensitive issue in a frivolous manner,” she said.
