JNU Expels Professor Accused Of Sexually Harassing Japanese Embassy Official

Jawaharlal Nehru University has dismissed a senior faculty member, Swaran Singh, over allegations of sexual harassment of a Japanese official.

A professor at JNU was expelled by the university for allegedly harassing and molesting a Japanese embassy official.

Source : PTI

The Jawaharlal Nehru University has dismissed a senior faculty member who has been accused of molesting and harassing a Japanese embassy official. 

An official from the university told Hindustan Times that Swaran Singh, a senior faculty member from the School of International Studies has been dismissed without benefits over allegations of sexual harassment of a Japanese official from the Embassy of Japan. 

The decision to expel Singh was unanimously approved by the university's executive council, its top decision-making body, reported The Times of India.

According to a senior faculty member, the incident took place last May. There was "plenty of evidence" against Singh, including audio recordings, the faculty member said. 

The university had received a formal complaint from the Japanese embassy alleging that the professor had made sexually inappropriate remarks to one of the embassy officials. 

The matter was investigated by JNU's internal complaints committee (ICC) which pronounced the professor guilty. The professor was later terminated based on the ICC's report. 

'Clear Warning' 

Speaking on the development, JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit said that it is a clear warning to all sexual predators. 

“We have a zero-tolerance policy towards such complaints. It is a clear warning to all sexual predators, rent seekers and corrupt staff, both teaching and non-teaching. We have also given representation to students through elections in the ICC for the first time.”

Who Is Swaran Singh 

Singh is a member od the Centre for International Politics, Organisation & Disarmament at JNU's School for International Studies, as per the JNU official website. 

He has a Master of Arts (MA) degree in political science from Delhi University and a PhD in international studies at JNU. He also holds a post-doctoral diploma in Conflict Resolution from Upasala, Sweden.

According to the website, Singh joined JNU's School of International Studies in 2001 and worked as research faculty at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, New Delhi from 1992 to 2001.