A professor from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, has been accused of raping a student for over a year and harassing her parents. The professor, who taught drama and conducted online classes between 2019 and 2021, allegedly convinced the student to live with him and his family in Aurangabad while she was preparing for her dissertation. During her stay, he allegedly raped her multiple times between February 2022 and February 2023.
When the complainant informed the professor's wife about the alleged sexual assaults, she allegedly responded that they wanted a son from her. The complainant went back to her home in Buldhana district after falling ill, but the professor allegedly kept harassing her on the phone. When the woman stopped taking the professor's calls, he started calling her father. The woman then told her father about the alleged sexual assaults, and they approached the university's Vishakha committee, which handles complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace.
The professor was summoned by the committee, but he allegedly threatened the parents of the complainant by going to their home. The university administration gave a letter to the complainant stating that she could approach the police, and she subsequently filed a complaint against the professor, leading to his booking under sections 376 (rape), 109 (abetment), 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) and 504 (intentional insult) of the Indian Penal Code. The professor's wife was also named in the FIR for supporting him in the alleged crime. The police registered the FIR on Tuesday night at Begumpura police station. The investigation is ongoing.