Court refuses Saradhi's plea for records of sexual harassment case

Delhi University professor P. Pardha Saradhi's plea seeking original records of the proceedings of an enquiry committee which was set up after a student accused him of sexual harassment was dismissed by the Delhi High Court.

Justice Hima Kohli dismissed Saradhi's plea Friday saying the court will not direct the committee to provide records and if he wishes to get the original records, he may file an RTI application or take other measures.

Saradhi was in news recently when on his complaint of plagiarism against former Delhi University vice chancellor Deepak Pental who was briefly arrested Nov 25. Pental was later released by the order of high court.

Saradhi moved the high court seeking directions for DU to provide the original recordings made by an enquiry committee of the proceedings held Jan 25, 2012 where the complainant who levelled sexual harassment allegations against him recorded her statement before the committee.

The professor said he was only provided transcripts of the proceedings.

"Jan 25, 2012, the enquiry committee examined the complainant orally. The oral statement, being the crucial statement has not been recorded. Minutes of the proceedings have also not been recorded, neither recorded on the mobile nor in writing. The crucial part of the proceedings are not available, without which the order (debarring him from supervising female research scholar) can not be sustained," said the plea.

Saradhi, the professor of environmental studies was suspended in April 2008 after being found guilty of administrative lapses. A MSc student filed sexual harassment complaint against him and another MSc student also made allegation regarding the professor's conduct and behaviour.

Two simultaneous committees had been set up against Saradhi which included the allegation of his conduct and sexual harassment complaint filed by students as well as a committee on administrative violations.

One committee set up on administrative violation absolved him for the charges and his suspension was revoked and he was reinstated in 2008.

Another committee, set up on the allegations of sexual harassment complaint, did not conduct the enquiry proceedings properly and fairly and did not even provide all the relevant documents required by him, the professor alleged.

The court refusing to allow the plea, said that the committees records will come in place when the main petition pending before it will be heard.

Saradhi's main petition has been pending before the court where he challenged the Nov 3, 2013 decision of executive council of DU to debar him from supervising any female research scholar for a period of five years and asked him to file a bond of good conduct.