Compulsory retirement ordered for professor guilty of sexual harassment

Compulsory retirement ordered for professor guilty of sexual harassment

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 12: The Karnataka High Court issued a notice to the Mangalore University on May 10, Tuesday, ordering compulsory retirement for Prof. Tippeswamy. Since Prof. Tippeswamy has filed a writ petition questioning the action taken against him, the High Court order also requires the university to file its objections, if any, to this writ petition.

It may be recalled that two female research scholars, who were working with Prof. Tippeswamy, had lodged a complaint with the registrar of the university accusing the biosciences professor of sexually harassing them. The university investigated the issue and suspended the professor from services. When the professor filed a writ petition with the High Court, a single-judge division bench cancelled the suspension order.

The Mangalore University appealed against the High Court ruling, following which another division bench cancelled the order of the single-judge bench and directed the university to appoint a committee of three to thoroughly investigate the complaint against Prof. Tippeswamy. The committee appointed by the university investigated the case and submitted a report stating that the professor was indeed guilty of sexually harassing the students and demanded that the professor compulsorily retire from services.

Prof. Tippeswamy has now filed a writ petition questioning this order.