HC seeks PU, PWC reply on pupils' 'victimisation'

Patna: The

Patna high court

on Thursday sought reply from Patna University and

Patna Women's College

(PWC) by March 9 in a matter related to denying permission to 319 students to appear at their BA examinations for allegedly protesting against a mass communication department teacher who was accused of sexual harassment.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Anjana Mishra was hearing a PIL filed by All India Students' Federation (AISF). The petitioner alleged that the students were denied permission not because of shortage of attendance, as the authorities claim, but for protesting against sexual harassment by a male teacher.

In September last year, AISF protesters had assembled in front of the PWC gate and a group of college students had joined their protest. The college main gate had been locked and the police had suo motu lodged a case against the accused teacher. On September 21, 2015, the police admitted that some girls had earlier complained to the PWC administration about the teacher's misconduct, but no action had been taken against him.

Sources said police were also probing the role of some other teachers who did not cooperate in the investigation and allegedly favoured the accused. Even after repeated requests, the employees of the institution did not provide details about the teacher, which delayed the investigation.