K’taka HC sets aside reinstatement order of IISc prof accused in sexual harassment case

Controversy

Earlier, a single bench order of the HC had given relief to the professor Giridhar Madras.

TNM Staff

A division bench of the Karnataka High Court has set aside the reinstatement order for IISc professor Giridhar Madras, which was earlier passed by a single judge of the same court. The division bench order came as the court was hearing a writ petition filed by the IISc. Giridhar, a senior faculty of the Chemical Engineering Department, was found guilty of sexual harassment by an internal council in October 2018. Based on this, he was forced to go on compulsory retirement. The probe had started in November 2016 after a PhD student had lodged a complaint that he had made sexually coloured remarks against her and called her repeatedly at night.  Giridhar had approached the HC for relief after he was forced into compulsory retirement by the IISc authorities. Based on his plea, in January 2019,  Justice R Devdas passed an interim order, granting stay on the compulsory retirement. Giridhar had argued in court that the IC should have asked the complainant to present proof such as call and message records, to substantiate her allegations. Claiming that the compulsory retirement awarded to him was based on a show-cause notice drawn from the IC’s inquiry report, Giridhar alleged that it was based on “perceptions” and not proof. Later, the HC in August, 2019, had reinstated him after finding faults with the Internal Committee (IC) and the Disciplinary Authority formed to probe the case.  The order by Justice BP Bajanthri held that the IISc authorities have not followed statutory provisions, like providing a copy of the complaint to the accused. They also reportedly did not stick to the rules mandated for forming an inquiry committee and submission of the report, the court said.  During the course of the hearing, Giridhar told the court that his chances of future employment were hampered because the IISc director had mentioned Giridhar’s name in a press meet. He also alleged personal vendetta on the part of the IISc director.

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