The Molestation Row at Stephen's: Thampu at his defence

It all began with molestation of a research scholar by an assistant professor in the college's Chemistry department, named Satish Kumar. The student approached police after being disappointed by the response from Delhi University’s grievance redressal cell and alleging that Kumar had molested the complainant on October 15, 2013(from the beginning of the course). She has also accused him of stalking her, passing lewd remarks and making inappropriate physical contact for months before the incident and even threatening to "pour sulfuric acid on her if she didn't wear a yellow sari to college. The victim, belonging to a rural background, has also accused the professor of blocking her monthly stipend.

The complaint has also alleged that Valson Thampu, Stephens' college Principal, tried to shield the accused Satish Kumar and pressurized her not to treat the issue as that of sexual harassment by signing declarations suppressing the event. In support of her report, she had also made public a set of recordings which she claimed she made during the meetings with the principal regarding the issue.

Thampu, however, rejected the allegations by telling the tapes to be mischievously edited.

Satish Kumar has resigned from the post of college Bursar following which the Governing Body made a new appointment for the administrative position.Kumar has been denied anticipatory bail by a Delhi High Court in connection with the case and has ordered a stay on Mr Kumar's arrest till August 17. College's treasurer Sudhir Joseph is now the new Bursar while Kumar will continue to work as assistant professor.

Protesters are demanding that Thampu be removed from office pending an enquiry against him. A section of Delhi University students and teachers along with student bodies including All India Students' Association and Students Federation of India, staged a protest outside the college campus. Activists from All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Centre for Struggling Women (CSW), Saheli and All India Progressive Women Association (AIPWA), among other women organizations, also joined them in demanding Thampu's resignation and justice for the victim.

The protestors also demanded that with the probe being underway, the university should change the victim's research supervisor so her PhD doesn't suffer. Amid growing demand for his resignation over the molestation row, St Stephen's Principal Valson Thampu said he was being chased like an animal in the case and appealed to all concerned to avoid character assassination as the matter is sub judged.

Thampu has been claiming that the research scholar who was allegedly molested by an assistant professor, was being used against him and was 'coached to do a sting on him' by the ’handlers’ of the controversy. According to him its old Stephanian's Association, an alumni group which is not recognized by the college as one of the elements who he alleged are after him.

Reiterating his demand for a CBI enquiry into the issue , he said he welcomes the intervention of HRD and UGC in ICC proceedings. Thampu in his defense claimed that "the girl wasn't sure she wanted to treat it as a sexual harassment complaint". In recent development Thampu said that he would feel ’inclined’ to resign if it was ’proved objectively’ that he was a cause of embarrassment to the institution.

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