Delhi Police arrests JNU Professor Atul Johri over sexual harassment charges
JNU Professor Atul Johri, who has been accused of sexual harassment by students, was arrested by the Delhi Police on Tuesday.
Confirming the news, DCP South West Milind Mahadeo Dumbre told DNA, ‘He has been arrested and now produced before the court.’
The students of the central university have been protesting against Johri and accusing authorities of shielding him.
A female student pursuing PhD at JNU had filed a police complaint against Johri and said that he would ask her uncomfortable questions and later give references to mythological sexual connotations. The statement of the woman, on whose complaint the case was filed, was recorded under Section 164 of the CrPc.
The woman in the FIR stated that she joined Johri's lab in 2013. Johri is a professor at School of Life Sciences. "His behaviour was way too friendly. He would ask personal questions and then joke about a God asking a Goddess for sexual favours. This was one of the few jokes he shared, among others,"the woman stated in the FIR. The woman further alleged that he would call her to discuss work in his office room and make her sit on the sofa and touch her inappropriately on her back and shoulders without her permission.
After her complaint, several other students also reported about Johri. On Monday, several students took to street to protest against inaction in the case. "Even four days after eight women students came out filing a sexual harassment complaint against the professor, there has been no action against the professor. And just one FIR has been filed against him," JNUSU Vice President Simone Zoya Khan had said.
The JNUSU in a statement, however said, "Delhi Police has postponed the recording of Atul Johri till tomorrow. This could have been done today itself. We believe that the postponement is being done to delay his recording and give him more time. Since now FIRs have been registered, he should be interrogated in custody and not given time to protect himself. By giving him more time Delhi Police is actively protecting him."
Confirming the news, DCP South West Milind Mahadeo Dumbre told DNA, ‘He has been arrested and now produced before the court.’
The students of the central university have been protesting against Johri and accusing authorities of shielding him.
A female student pursuing PhD at JNU had filed a police complaint against Johri and said that he would ask her uncomfortable questions and later give references to mythological sexual connotations. The statement of the woman, on whose complaint the case was filed, was recorded under Section 164 of the CrPc.
The woman in the FIR stated that she joined Johri's lab in 2013. Johri is a professor at School of Life Sciences. "His behaviour was way too friendly. He would ask personal questions and then joke about a God asking a Goddess for sexual favours. This was one of the few jokes he shared, among others,"the woman stated in the FIR. The woman further alleged that he would call her to discuss work in his office room and make her sit on the sofa and touch her inappropriately on her back and shoulders without her permission.
After her complaint, several other students also reported about Johri. On Monday, several students took to street to protest against inaction in the case. "Even four days after eight women students came out filing a sexual harassment complaint against the professor, there has been no action against the professor. And just one FIR has been filed against him," JNUSU Vice President Simone Zoya Khan had said.
The JNUSU in a statement, however said, "Delhi Police has postponed the recording of Atul Johri till tomorrow. This could have been done today itself. We believe that the postponement is being done to delay his recording and give him more time. Since now FIRs have been registered, he should be interrogated in custody and not given time to protect himself. By giving him more time Delhi Police is actively protecting him."