BCU dean suspended following harassment complaint

The dean of the commerce department at Bengaluru City University (BCU) has been suspended after a woman researcher accused him of harassment.

The varsity issued the suspension order on Friday following the research scholar’s complaint of “mental harassment” against senior faculty member Prof
M Muninarayanappa.

DH has accessed the order.

Two complaints on Nov 15, 18

Officials said varsity authorities received two complaints from the woman scholar on November 15 and 18.

“After the first complaint, we issued a notice to the professor. Since there wasn’t a response, we issued a suspension order based on the second complaint,” the official said.

BCU Registrar (Administration) Sridhar C N told DH that the senior faculty member has been suspended as per norms. “The matter will be placed before the syndicate and an inquiry will be initiated,” he said.

Varsity officials said the professor will be kept in suspension until the inquiry is over.

“Since the code of conduct is in place for the Legislative Council elections, we cannot hold syndicate meetings. We will call the syndicate meeting (after the elections) to ratify the suspension order and hold an inquiry by the Internal Complaint Committee on Workplace/Sexual Harassment,” said an official.

The suspension order stated that it appeared prima facie that the professor was disturbing the woman scholar’s research activities by mentally harassing her.

‘False allegations’

When contacted, Prof Muninarayanappa said: “These are false allegations and the university did not give me sufficient time to reply to the notice. They issued the notice on November 25 and the suspension order on the 26th.”

Terms of suspension order

The professor will not be allowed to engage in professional, business or job activities. He should not move out of the headquarters without prior permission from the authorities concerned during the suspension period.

He is eligible to receive alimony for six months by submitting a certificate to fulfil the above conditions.

Varsity sources told DH that details of the actual complaint were not mentioned in the suspension order.