Court stays IISc professor's reinstatement

BENGALURU: In a new twist to the sexual harassment case involving Prof Giridhar Madras, a professor with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), a division bench of the high court stayed operation of the single bench order.
On August 6, 2019, a single bench had absolved Prof Giridhar of the sexual harassment charge and directed his reinstatement. Action was also ordered against the IISc director and head of the institute's internal complaints committee (ICC) on sexual harassment for making the professor's name public.
However, a division bench headed by Justice Ravi Malimath stayed the order after hearing an appeal filed by IISc. The institute contended that there was no violation of any mandatory statutory provision during the inquiry against the professor and the single bench's order virtually set aside the entire action without allowing the probe.
The inquiry against Prof Giridhar was ordered following a complaint by a student. On October 17, 2018, IISc ordered for his compulsory retirement after holding the inquiry. Giridhar had challenged the probe report. The single bench had set aside the reports and said the authorities hadn't followed the procedures laid down under various rules.
Giridhar has been working with IISc since 1998 and is the recipient of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, JC Bose National Fellowship and IISc Award for Excellence in Research.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)