Prof demoted for trying to seduce student

There was an allegation against Srivastva that he had made physical advances to Sudeep Minhas in his office. The girl had tape-recorded her conversation with the professor. Later, her father Anoop Singh Minhas had in a written complaint, alleged that Srivastva had tried to outrage his daughter’s modesty.

Srivastva when contacted said that action against him was taken under influence. He alleged that the complaint was made about 16 months after the alleged incident. He said he was a victim of a conspiracy hatched by certain colleagues. He said the father of the girl, who was a SP in Punjab Police, had coerced him at gun-point to resign.

The incident, which was alleged to have occurred on October 13, 1990 in the office of Srivastva, had rocked the GNDU campus.

The case was hanging fire for the last eight years due to writ petitions filed by Srivastva in Punjab and Haryana High Court at various steps in the course of inquiry. The writ petitions now stands disposed of, thus clearing way for the punishment.

Srivastva, who had pleaded innocent in his 40-page reply to a show cause notice issued by the university for termination of his services, has also alleged that there was a conspiracy hatched by four of his department colleagues to oust him. Srivastva was head of the English Department at that time and Sudeep was doing her Ph.D.

The complaint against Srivastva alleged that he started talking about extra martial relations of other teachers with the girl student when she met him in his office on October 5, 1990 and called her to his office on October 13, which was a holiday. The girl told this to her uncle, who gave her a small tape recorder in which she recorded all that the teacher said. She also alleged that he showed her x-rated magazines. When the incident came to light, Srivastva resigned from his post on October 17, 1990 when the girl’s father and uncle reportedly visited the department to seek an explanation from him.

However, after two years, he filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking directions to the university to let him continue in the department since he had withdrawn his resignation. The High Court admitted his petition, restoring his status. His wife had also filed a FIR in Sadar Police Station on November 7, 1990 alleging the father of the girl had been threatening them.

The father of the girl filed a complaint to the Vice-chancellor on December 29, 1992 seeking action against Srivastva. The then Vice-chancellor G. S. Randhawa appointed a retired IAS officer Lal Singh to conduct preliminary inquiry, who found substantial evidence to proceed against the professor.

Srivastva, when contacted, contradicted the story and alleged the taped conversation was tampered with by omitting certain question put by the girl. He claimed that with her own initiative and her unambiguous insistence for appointment, he might have discussed with her various possibilities for the conclusion of his proposed novel.

The university on December 24, 1993 issued a chargesheet to Srivastva and appointed a retired judge of the High Court as the inquiry officer. Srivastva however, again went to the High Court. The petition was disposed of with the observation that points raised by Srivastva shall be raised before the inquiry commission.

The inquiry officer filed his report on May 7, 1996 in which he indicted Srivastva but at the same time, suggested to keep his ordeal of facing long litigation in mind while deciding the quantum of punishment.

The university had issued a show cause notice to Srivastva on 24.2.1997 as to why his service should not be terminated.

In another major decision, the Syndicate working on the instructions from Punjab government formed a five-member post rationalisation committee to pave the way for lifting a ban on filling teaching posts. The committee would meet within a month, Soch said. Besides, V-C other members of committee are pro-V-C, dean academic, secretary education and D.P.I. (colleges).

The Syndicate has also nominated a committee for rationalisation of non-teaching staff in which the registrar would replace the dean academic. The V-C said, however, there would be a blanket ban on filling of non-teaching posts till March 31 as per government instructions. He said required teaching posts would be filled after the report of the rationalisation committee.