Mithibai College principal arrested for molesting psychologist bailed

The accused Dr Rajpal Hande. Picture/ Vishal Singh

The principal of Mithibai College Dr Rajpal Hande was arrested and granted bail by Juhu police on Saturday in a case of molesting a woman psychologist back in 2016.

According to the FIR, in October 2016, the psychologist was invited for a Psychology Association meeting at Mithibai College. The complainant attended the meeting where she met Dr Hande.

As per the report, Dr Hande allegedly grabbed the complainant's hand while handing a bowl of soup. She immediately managed to free her arm. But Dr Hande then sat in a chair next to her. When complainant got up to leave, he allegedly held her hand firmly for the second time.

The woman had initially approached the college authorities, but she got no response from them. She then approached Juhu police station. Even though the police registered a case under IPC Section 354 A (1) against Dr Hande on February 2019, no action was taken. She then approached the State Human Rights Commission on January 24 this year.

After commission summoned Juhu police for a status report of the case, DCP Zone 9 on Monday informed them that the CCTV of the said incident could not be found as the incident had happened in 2016.

"The college's Internal Complaint Committee is also making enquiry in the matter and the police have not received any report from the said committee," a senior police officer stated in the letter to the Commission.

DCP Zone 9, Paramjit Singh Dahiya on Monday in a letter (mid-day has a copy) submitted to State Human Rights Commission said, "Dr Hande was called at the police station under section 41(D) of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). When he came to the police station he was placed under arrest. His relatives and lawyer were informed about his arrest," the letter states.

Senior Police Inspector of Juhu Police Station Pandharinath Wawal told mid-day, "Dr Hande was arrested on Saturday and was immediately released on bail as the offence is bailable. We will soon file a charge sheet."

On January 17 this year, Dr Hande was arrested by the Tilak Nagar Police on the orders of the Sessions Court in another case of molesting a professor but was immediately released on bail.

When mid-day tried contacting Dr Hande, he refused to answer our phone calls or reply to the messages. However, Dr Hande's advocate Rajiv Sawant told mid-day, "This is a false case and we have filed a writ petition in the High Court against it."

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