The District and Sessions Judge also directed the Kangra district police to file a detailed reply in the matter on January 17. However, police sought more time to file their reply.
A local court in Dharamshala on Monday extended till January 17 the interim relief granted to a suspended assistant professor booked, along with four women students, in connection with sexual harassment and ragging of a 19-year-old college student, who died under mysterious circumstances.
The student had died during her treatment on December 26 last year, and her body was cremated the next day. Her father lodged a complaint on the CM Helpline, alleging that his daughter was “ragged” by four women students and “sexually assaulted” by the assistant professor. Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered against the five accused on January 1.
The assistant professor was granted interim relief on January 2, with directions to join the investigation whenever summoned by the police. The court had earlier instructed the police to submit a status report on their investigation by January 12.
After the hearing, the defence counsel told mediapersons, “Police informed the court in the reply that the investigation is still underway. The court was told that the mobile phones of the victim and the four women accused had been seized and sent for forensic examination. The police also informed the court that a special medical board had been constituted to ascertain the cause of the student’s death. Seeking additional time to file a comprehensive reply, the police requested an extension, following which the court directed them to submit their detailed response on January 17.”
According to sources, one of the four women accused has already secured interim relief, while the remaining three have approached the court to seek anticipatory bail. Their applications are also likely to be listed on January 17, the day the police will file their status report.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
