Motivated campaign against our college, principal: St. Stephen's

The 'Supreme Council' of Delhi's St. Stephen's college on Wednesday said a "motivated campaign" was on against the institution with regard to a sexual harassment case involving its teacher and fully backed principal Valson Thampu.

The council also urged the media to "act more objectively" vis-a-vis the case in which a PhD student had accused her research guide of molestation.

"Of late, there has been a motivated campaign against our reputed institution and its principal in the media at the instance of some vested interests. The media reports have the tendency to surface around the dates of hearing of the court cases against the college. This shows the motive behind the same," Warris K. Masih, chairman of the supreme council, said in a statement after an emergent meeting.

He also said that the news reports of the court proceedings involving the college were "unfair" and "inaccurate".

"The supreme council has full confidence in the judiciary and the ongoing police probe. However, since the allegations against the college would affect its reputation, we strongly regret the media trial and request the fourth estate to act more objectively," the statement added.

The statement also said that the council placed "on record its full faith and confidence" in Thampu's leadership and "affirms full support" to him in the college administration.

A research scholar of Delhi University had accused Satish Kumar, a chemistry professor at the college, of sexually harassing her during the course of her PhD work.

She had also released voice recordings about her purported conversation with Thampu and Kumar, alleging that the principal was seeking to protect the professor while trying to dissuade her from filing a complaint.