After five days of continuous demonstration by Jawaharlal Nehru University students, the Delhi Police finally arrested professor Atul Johri in sexual harassment case today (Tuesday). However, it only lasted for one hour 20 minutes as the Patiala court granted him bail on the same day. JNU prof Atul Johri got bail almost instantly.
The police produced Johri in front of magistrate Ritu Singh. He moved his bail plea to her which said that sending him to jail would spoil his career. Johri provided the bail on a bail bond of Rs 30,000 for each of the eight FIRs registered against him. Police had sought 14-day custody of Johri.
“Johri’s statement during questioning in eight FIRs and similar complaints by other students were video recorded,” a senior police officer said.
Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhary told Indian Express, "We have recorded the statements of the complainants. A few more female students have approached the police and levelled similar allegations against Johri. They are being examined."
"We will initiate legal action. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj is closely monitoring the investigation.”
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JNU students had to stand firm in their decision of lodging the complaint and had to stage a demonstration outside the police station for two hours before the police agreed to file the FIR.
On March 17, seven complainants along with members of Gender Sensitization Committee against Sexual harassment (GSCASH) went to the Vasant Kunj police station at night to file harassment complaint against School of Life Sciences professor Johri. JNU student union vice president, Simone Zoya Khan told SheThePeople.TV that the police was reluctant in filing the complaint. They had to stand firm in their decision of lodging the complaint and had to stage a demonstration outside the police station for two hours before the police agreed to file the FIR.
The morning of March 18 brought two more complainants to the police station to file their complaints against Johri.
“The professor often makes sexually-coloured remarks, open demands for sex and comments on the figure of almost every girl. If a girl objects, he holds a grudge against her,” the women students had said in a statement.
“There is a financial nexus between the professor and the administration. It has not purchased any instrument for years, but still has spent crores of rupees,” it said.
The case is under fire from the netizens as it is trending on social media. People are criticizing police’s lagging action in the case. And the fact that Johri was bailed out so quickly has caught everyone’s attention in the online space.
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