Action on woman faculty member for false complaint pending:

The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR) today denied the sexual harassment charges levelled by a woman faculty member against her colleague and said disciplinary proceedings were pending against her for making a 'false' complaint.

The institute registrar and director (administration) Franklin Laltinkhuma said the 49-year-old woman had on February 1 complained of sexual harassment against Satyaranjan Mahakul, an assistant professor at the Centre for Equity and Social Development (CESD) under NIRD&PR.

The institute's internal complaints committee conducted an enquiry under the 'Sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act, 2013' and submitted its report, which found that the allegation of the woman, an assistant professor, was false, he said.

"Disciplinary proceedings are pending against the woman associate professor for giving a false complaint as mandated under the Act", Franklin said.

In the meantime, she lodged a police complaint against an Mahakul based on which he was arrested under the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act.

Mahakul, aged around 40, was arrested yesterday after the woman,also in-charge head of CESD and a Scheduled Caste,lodged a police complaint in April this year, accusing him of 'molesting' and 'abusing' her in the name of her caste.

Following this, a case on charges of outraging the modesty under relevant sections of IPC and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was registered against Mahakul.

The registrar said the recent directions of the Supreme Court on misuse of provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act states that "no arrest may be effected if an accused person is a public servant, without written permission of the appointing authority".

Franklin said Mahakul was called by police to record his statement and was later arrested without seeking the written permission from authorities of the institute.