Guest professor, booked for molesting Mumbai college students, seeks anticipatory bail

Mumbai, Dec 11 (PTI) A guest professor, booked for allegedly molesting female students at the annual function of a south Mumbai college, has sought anticipatory bail from a city court, arguing the case against him might be due to "misunderstanding" or "personal grudge".

However, police on Thursday opposed his plea before the sessions court, contending crime was of a serious nature and related to women.

The probe agency flagged that since the accused and the victims belong to different communities, "the possibility of communal tension arising cannot be ruled out".

The court is likely to pass its order on the pre-arrest bail plea on December 19.

As per the case registered at the Azad Maidan police station, the accused was invited as a guest lecturer at the college's annual event on November 24.

He allegedly misbehaved with nine female student volunteers by touching them inappropriately, police said.

Furthermore, the academician also misbehaved with a retired female professor and took selfies with some students without their consent, police said.

Therefore, based on a complaint filed by the college principal, police registered a case under relevant Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections, including the provision that deals with assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage modesty.

The professor, in his anticipatory bail, claimed that the FIR was registered after an unexplained delay of five days. The plea highlighted his 35-year-long career in the education sector, stating he has been invited by thousands of colleges for delivering lectures without a single prior complaint.

The FIR might have been be registered "due to some misunderstanding" or "personal grudge" and to destroy the professor's life by damaging his image in society," the plea said. PTI AVI RSY