HC asks NEHU to pass fresh order in sexual harassment case

SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has asked the NEHU disciplinary authority to take a decision afresh in the matter related to the sexual harassment of two female research scholars by professor Ashish Kumar Das.
The petition of the Mathematics professor against NEHU challenging the action initiated by the university against him came up before the court of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari on Wednesday.
The petitioner challenged the legality and validity of the disciplinary proceedings as also the order on December 17, 2014, whereby the penalty of compulsory retirement was imposed on him.
Summing up the hearing, the court said the disciplinary authority should come up with a “speaking order” within 30 days of receiving the representation and objections of the petitioner.
“As a corollary to the above, it is also provided that though the petitioner shall stand reinstated, this reinstatement shall only be for the purpose of passing of appropriate order by the disciplinary authority and else, he shall continue to remain under suspension; and all other aspects of the matter shall also be determined by the disciplinary authority depending on the final outcome,” the court said.