St Stephen's molestation row: Delhi University approves new research guide

New Delhi: Following a directive from the HRD Ministry, the Delhi University has approved a new supervisor for the St Stephen's research scholar, who has levelled allegations of sexual harassment against a college professor.

The varsity, however, maintained that the process can move ahead only after St Stephen's facilitates an approval from the former supervisor.

"The Departmental Research Committee (DRC) has approved a new supervisor for the girl. However, his appointment cannot fructify until the former supervisor gives an unconditional approval allowing the scholar to use parts of her earlier research in the thesis," Dr Gurmeet Singh, head of the varsity's Chemistry department said.

Singh said that if the former supervisor did not approve it, the girl will have to start her research afresh. "It is important that St Stephen's facilitates this approval," he said.

Meanwhile, the girl on Tuesday approached the department to submit a set of demands though her application was not allegedly accepted.

The scholar has demanded that she be assigned a female supervisor and allowed to resume her research work "from its present status".

"I want to make it clear that I don't want to start my research work afresh. I should be given the compounds made by me during research and the computational data collated so far. "I also want the software key which I had been using while working with my supervisor," she said in the application which she alleged was not accepted by the department.

The victim had approached police last month, alleging that she was molested by Satish Kumar, an assistant professor in the college's Chemistry department under whom she was pursuing her research.

She had also accused college principal Valson Thampu of "shielding" the teacher when the matter was reported to him.

Following a meeting with the victim last week, HRD Minister Smriti Irani had directed the Delhi University to ensure that her stipend is released on time, she is granted unrestricted access to the laboratory and assigned a new supervisor.