HC directs CJM to expedite trial of AMU prof who sexually harassed Iranian scholar

Aligarh: The Allahabad high court has directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Aligarh, to ensure that speedy trial is conducted in the sexual harassment case filed by an Iranian scholar in 2014.

In an application filed by her counsel, the scholar has alleged that since the filing of the chargesheet in June 2015, the accused has sought exemptions and adjournments, which he has been granted “in a mechanical way”. She has to stay back in India even after the completion of her studies only due to the pendency of the case, as she is the only witness in the case.

In an order issued on August 22, the HC has directed the CJM to act in accordance to 309 (1) CrPc (In every inquiry or trial, the proceedings shall be held as expeditiously as possible).

The scholar’s counsel submitted that she had visited India for research work and was aggrieved by her supervisor, an assistant professor in AMU, who would send offensive messages to her on social media.

The HC has observed that since the chargesheet was submitted before the magistrate, several dates have been fixed in this case, but till today even the charges have not been framed. Though the CJM court, however, clarified that the case is pending because the scholar has not filed the reply to the discharge application (which is filed by the accused to stand in his defence and the other party needs to file the reply to it).

The scholar’s lawyer Gopal Krushna, who practises in the Supreme Court, alleged, “This case is being pursued in a very non-serious way and exemptions to the accused are being granted mechanically. In this scenario the HC has direction to the CJM is very important for expedient proceedings. Also, we were not asked to file the reply to the discharge application filed by the accused,” he said. Lawyer of the accused, HN Singh, refused to comment till the next hearing of the case on September 1.