JNU research scholar accuses senior, AISA activist of rape

A woman student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has accused a senior PhD research scholar of the varsity of raping her.

Lodging a complaint with the local police on Sunday, the 28-year-old victim claimed that the research scholar, who is also an activist of the All India Students Association (AISA), took her to his room at Brahmaputra hostel and sexually assaulted her on Saturday evening.

The accused has been identified as Anmol Ratan, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Nupur Prasad said.

On the basis of the victim’s complaint, Vasant Kunj (North) Police Station lodged a first information report under Sections 376 (for rape) and 506 (for criminal intimation) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the police, the victim, who is a first year PhD student at the varsity, claimed to have come in contact with the accused after she posted a message on her Facebook page in June, asking if any one had a (digital) copy of the film ‘Sairat’.

Responding to her post, Anmol sent her a message asserting that he had a (digital) copy of the film she was looking for, the victim claimed.

“She further claimed that on August 20 (Saturday), Anmol picked her up and took her to his hostel room to give her the film’s copy. He then offered some drinks to her and then sexually assaulted her,” the additional DCP said.

Probe on

“Investigations are in progress,” she added.
According to sources in the university, a police team visited the campus, but found no trace of the accused.

The incident took place at a time when the JNU, dominated by leftist students’ organisations, was gearing up for student elections in a few months from now.

Student leader Saurabh Sharma condemned the incident, demanding that the police must bring the accused to book.

Meanwhile, the AISA expelled Anmol from the primary membership of the students association and said it would stand by the victim in her “fight for justice”.