St Stephen's college principal Valson Thampu. (Press Trust of India)
St Stephen's Principal Valson Thampu today said he is willing to workout the logistics for completion of PhD of the research scholar who had alleged that she was sexually harassed by her guide and the principal had shielded the accused professor.
"I shall be happy to welcome her back to the lab in St Stephen's and facilitate the resumption of her research. Shall begin to work out the logistics, once I hear from the girl. May God protect her and give her good sense," Mr Thampu said in a Facebook post.
Mr Thampu, who was accused of shielding the accused professor in the case, had been maintaining that the girl was being "mentored" by a few persons who had vested interests, which were used against him.
Reiterating the same, he further said, "the story of the girl now seems to have evaporated. Her unscrupulous handlers have dropped her, not even like 'hot potato'. I knew from the outset - and stated it ever so often in emphatic terms - that this would be her tragic plight; for I knew the diabolic hands that were manipulating her."
"I cannot forget her. It is difficult to forget victims. What has happened to this girl is a classic illustration of the moral depravity that has invaded our public life, including institutions."
The girl had approached police in July, alleging that she was molested by Satish Kumar, an assistant professor in the college's Chemistry Department.
She had also accused college principal, Valson Thampu of "shielding" the teacher when the matter was reported to him.
The girl had also made a set of recordings public, which she claimed to have made during her meetings with the principal over the issue. Later, she withdrew her complaint from the college's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) claiming that she had lost faith in its proceedings.
Mr Thampu was also summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) in connection with the case.
The ICC, probing the matter, is yet to come up with its report which has also been sought by the UGC and HRD ministry.
While Delhi University had maintained that it is not possible to change her guide until the accused professor gives her consent to carry forward the same research, Mr Thampu claimed that it is not late yet.
"It is not too late even now. All is not lost. It is still possible to ensure that she completes her PhD, provided she is free to be a student and not a tool to be used to her utter denigration and degradation by scoundrels who are worse than wolves," he added.