- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Sat, 13 Sep 2025 05:18 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
NUJS Harassment Case: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to proceed with the hearing in a sexual harassment case filed by a faculty member against the vice-chancellor of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Dr Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti. The court said that the survivor had lodged a formal complaint on December 26, 2023, nine months after the purported sexual harassment took place in April 2023.
However, the bench of Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Prasanna Varal said that the issue cannot go unnoticed and asked the concerned authorities to mention the “sexual harassment” case in the resume of Dr Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti.
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"In this view of the matter, we direct that the incidents of alleged sexual harassment on the part of respondent no.1 may be forgiven but allowed to haunt the wrongdoer forever. Thus, it is directed that this judgment shall be made part of the resume of respondent no.1, compliance of which shall be strictly ensured by him personally."
As per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) 2013, the threshold period within which the complaint must be registered is three months. This time period can be extended to a time period of six months.
What Is The NUJS Sexual Harassment Case?
Dr Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti joined as the vice-chancellor in July 2019. Two months later, in September, he allegedly called the survivor to his office and insisted she accompany him for dinner, "which would greatly benefit her personally," as per the complainant.
"He even touched her hand in a manner that made her extremely uncomfortable, whereupon she left his office quietly. The Vice-Chancellor again called her in his office in October 2019. He asked her whether she had thought over his proposal for going out for dinner. The appellant (survivor) told him that she is not comfortable and wants to keep the relationship professional only. He, thereafter, demanded sexual favour from her and threatened her if the offers were declined," the complainant said.
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Then, in October 2019, the woman’s promotion was put on hold till the Executive Council cleared the charges in April 2022. Subsequently, the survivor was once again asked to accompany the culprit on a trip to the resort, which she refused firmly. Post this, she was threatened further by Dr Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti that she would suffer badly professionally.
On August 29, 2023, she was removed as Director, Centre of Financial, Regulatory and Governance Studies. Simultaneously, several complaints were raised against the survivor, alleging misuse of funds by UGC.
However, the allegations were not found to be true, and subsequently, the Executive Council directed the NUJS to refund Rs 1,00,000 to her. The court, in its concluding judgement, ruled that the case of the removal of the appellant from the post and the allegation cannot be considered as part of sexual harassment.