The Syndicate Committee meeting, which is said to have continued till the late evening hours, discussed the report submitted by the Women Harassment Complaints Committee, which had found Prof Shivabasavaiah, the now suspended chairman of the Department of Zoology, guilty of harassing Sarita and seeking sexual favours.
The Committee had held 12-14 hearings with both Shivabasavaiah and Sarita since March and submitted its findings indicting the professor. According to highly placed sources, this was being done to buy time and save Shivabasavaiah’s post.
Upon receiving Shivabasavaiah’s reponse (with no deadline fixed for it), the Syndicate will meet again to discuss further action under various legal provisions relating to the Karnataka Universities Act and many others. Currently, Sarita stands to face six panels in connection with her complaint against her former guide, and her subsequent attempt to commit suicide in March.
Published 13 July 2011, 18:16 IST