St Stephen's molestation case: Victim 'denied' lab access, college alleges vandalism attempt

New Delhi The St Stephens research scholar who was allegedly molested by a college professor today said that she was denied access to the laboratory even as the college principal termed it as a constructive controversy and vandalism attemptThe victim also alleged that she was denied payment of her stripend and when she forcefully tried to enter the laboratory where she was conducting her research she was locked by an attendant following which she had to call the policeThe college authority meanwhile has approached the police alleging vandalism and attempts to trespass the campus by students accompanying herThere has been a regrettable act of vandalism and trespass in the college premises The Delhi police is currently investigating the matter College spokesperson Karen Gabriel saidWhile police officials confirmed of having received the call and visiting the campus but denied that the laboratory was found lockedToday when I went to the college to inquire about the release of my stipend I was told by the concerned official in the college office that since Satish Kumar her PhD supervisor has not given his approval the stipend could not be released the victim allegedFurther when I tried to enter the laboratory the attendant refused to let me in after checking with Kumar over phoneI somehow forcefully entered but the attendant locked me from outside following which I called the police she added She was accompanied by Devansh Mehta the philosophy student who had taken the principal Valson Thampu to court after he had suspended him for publishing an ezine without seeking clearance on its contentResponding to the allegations Thampu told PTI This is another constructed controversy I had personally handed over the stipend cheque to her in December the cheque in question today is for the next six months which has not been issued as the documents need her PhD guides signature and he is not available as I had advised him not to visit the collegeThe allegations that she was denied access to the laboratory are baselesssuch are attempts by vested interests and then they would say college is always embroiled in controversies Thampu saidPolice officials said that they have not received any written complaint in this regard We have not received any written complaint in this regard we had got a call from the girl following which we visited the campus but she was not found locked inside and the laboratory was open a senior police official saidThe victim had approached police last month alleging that she was molested by Satish Kumar an assistant professor in colleges Chemistry Department She had also accused Thampu of shielding the teacher when the matter was reported to him She had also made public a set of recordings which she claimed to have made during her meetings with the principal over the issueThampu who had offered to resign if charges were proved against him had also claimed that he was being chased like an animalThis morning he vented out his anger about the constructed drama on his Facebook page only to remove it laterThe very first thing which smells of controversy is why did Devansh Mehta go with the girl in the first place What he has to do with the issue There are vested interests who are using the victim for character assassination of the college and are now even Mehta is at their hands Thampu had said in the post