Delhi court orders seven-day notice to Congress MP Akoijam before arrest
Court disposes of anticipatory bail plea in sexual harassment case; high court has separately stayed his dismissal from JNU
A Delhi court directed police to give Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam seven days’ notice if his arrest is required in a sexual harassment case
The court disposed of his anticipatory bail application; a detailed order is awaited
The Delhi High Court had separately stayed JNU’s decision to dismiss him and sought the university’s response to his challenge
A Delhi court on Thursday directed police to give Congress MP and Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam seven days’ prior notice if they need to arrest him in a sexual harassment case.
Special judge Dig Vinay Singh issued the direction while disposing of Akoijam’s anticipatory bail application. The detailed order is awaited. The court had sought Delhi Police’s response to the plea on Tuesday.
Akoijam, who represents Inner Manipur in the Lok Sabha, faces a police investigation following sexual harassment complaints by students at JNU. He has described the university’s decision to dismiss him as a “witch hunt” and questioned whether due process was followed.
The Delhi High Court stayed his dismissal on 2 November, issued notice to JNU on his petition challenging the decision and listed the matter for a hearing in January.
Delhi Police registered an FIR against Akoijam on 12 October, days after the university terminated his services.
According to reports, at least 11 female students submitted complaints against him in May. The complainants accused him of inviting students to his campus residence for purported meetings or gatherings and attempting to sexually harass them. Some also accused him of making obscene and inappropriate remarks in class.
The FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj North police station on the basis of a complaint and documents submitted by JNU’s chief security officer.
According to the FIR, the university’s Internal Committee examined the complaints and forwarded its findings, assessments and observations to police after conducting an inquiry.
The chief security officer’s complaint stated that the committee considered accounts from complainants, witnesses and defence witnesses, along with other material placed before it.
The criminal proceedings and Akoijam’s challenge to his dismissal are being heard separately.
With PTI inputs