Vice-Prez okays panel to probe allegations

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 23

Vice-President (VP) M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chancellor of Panjab University (PU), has approved an independent internal committee under Haryana IAS officer Navraj Sandhu to investigate sexual harassment allegations against VC Arun Grover.

A woman professor had leveled sexual harassment allegations against the VC. The case has been pending for about three years.

The PU received the communication dated March 20 from the VP office in this regard. The PU Senate on February 17 recommended names of members to the Vice-President, to which the opposition group led by Ashok Goyal had strongly objected to. Naidu retained all the names and only added the name of DPR, Chandigarh Administration, Navjot Kaur as a nominee of the Administration.

Now, there are 10 members besides convener Poonam Chopra, Deputy Registrar Establishment, PU.

Other members included Prof Pam Rajput, Dean Arts PU; Prof Anita Kaushal, fellow and principal of PGGCG-11, Chadigarh; Prof Devi Sirohi, former chairperson of the CCPCR; Justice Harbans Lal, fellow and former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and fellow Gurjot Singh Malhi, senior-most professor of the PU Meenakshi Malhotra and PUCASH chairperson Manvinder Kaur.

The case

A woman professor had filed a complaint of sexual harassment by Prof Grover on April 15, 2015. She had also mentioned about an incident dated March 31, 2013, that took place during a cultural function where she alleged that the VC made body contact.