JNU professors demand separate FIRs in all sexual harassment complaints against Atul Johri

New Delhi: Accusing the police of disregarding procedures, 54 JNU professors on Friday demanded registration of separate FIRs in all eight complaints of sexual harassment filed against professor Atul Johri. They petitioned Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Milind Dumbere’s office two days after the Delhi Police registered an FIR against professor Johri following allegations of sexual harassment by a group of women students. [caption id=“attachment_4353179” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the JNU campus. Image courtesy: JNU website.[/caption] The teachers said eight complaints were filed by as many women students, however, the Delhi Police chose to register only one FIR based on only one of the complaints. “Even though you have received 8 complaints, each of which reports incidents that are distinct and separated by space and time, you have chosen to register only one FIR under only one of the names. We are shocked to learn this as the law requires that a separate FIR is registered for each complaint,” the petition said. Such serious sexual offences are being treated in breach of law and the Supreme Court judgments on the matter, the professors said. They also demanded separate statements of all the complainants be recorded today itself “This disregard for even basic procedure suggests to us that the Delhi Police has no intention of seriously proceeding against Atul Johri,” the petition said. They also demanded the accused professor be not allowed to make any contact with the complainants. “We seek an assurance from the Delhi Police to take measures to ensure that professor Johri is prevented from making any contact with the complainants,” they said. They also said the DCP should intervene to ensure the complainants’ health and safety are safeguarded as they are facing, according to the the professors, tremendous amount of pressure and intimidation to make them compromise. The JNU Students Union which has been protesting for the past three days demanding arrest of the professor has announced a march to the Vasant Kunj Police Station today at 5pm. Students of School of Life Sciences, with which Prof Johri is associated, have locked down the school demanding his arrest.