A professor at Symbiosis Law School’s Nagpur campus has been placed on leave pending an inquiry into allegations that he sent inappropriate messages to female students and urged them to follow Islam and read the Quran, with the university saying he will stay away from campus until the investigation is completed.
The university has formed a high-level committee to examine the allegations and recommend action. The inquiry will also consider claims relating to the professor’s conduct at his previous workplace, Symbiosis Law School in Hyderabad, according to a university official quoted by The Indian Express.
The complaint was brought to the university after a student’s father approached the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), whose members then raised the matter with the college administration and met Nagpur Police Commissioner officials. The allegations are based on messages that the student allegedly received from the professor. No First Information Report had been registered as of Sunday, police said.
“The concerned professor is now on leave and will not attend the campus until the inquiry is complete and its findings are available,” the university official said. The official added that the committee would examine the allegations and recommend further action based on its findings.
The matter also led to several meetings involving the administration, police, students and people representing organisations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) Nityanand Jha said around 15 to 17 people from various organisations gathered at the university at about 11.30 am on Saturday. Police facilitated discussions with the administration, following which the professor was placed on leave.
At about 6.45 pm, another group of around 15 to 20 people reached the campus with the complainant and her father. At the time, the inquiry committee was holding an open-house discussion with approximately 100 to 120 students. Police then facilitated a meeting between the administration and a delegation of six or seven people, including the complainant.
The committee assured the delegation that the allegations would be examined and that action would be taken within a stipulated time. The university administration and police later briefed students on the developments. Jha said no law-and-order problem was reported. The university’s next step is to complete the inquiry and make a decision based on the committee’s findings.
