HimVani
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh High Court has asked the state government why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against it for defying the court orders over revocation of former IGMC Dental College professor Yogesh Bardwaj, who was suspended following charges of sexual harassment by two PG students of the same college last year.
A division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Joseph Kurian and Justice Rakesh Sharma sought reply from the state government on Thursday here while hearing a contempt petition filled before the court by a group of IGMC dental college students alleging that state has posted the accused professor defying the court order and contrary to its assurance.
Directing the state health secretary to appear in-person before the court on the next date fixed for August 12 , 2010, the bench observed that “why contempt proceeding not be initiated against the state for defying court order despite being given assurance before the court earlier to not post suspended professor at IGMC Dental College, who was stated by the petitioners being revoked in the same institute.”
The court has also asked the Dental Council of India (DCI) to file replay before it whether the principal of IGMC Dental College Ashu Bhardwaj (wife of accused) did not mention accused as one of the faculty member in the dental college in her statement given to DCI on June 3, 2010 when he was under suspension.
Former head of department in oral and Maxillo-facial surgery at IGMC Dental Colleges Yogesh Bhardwaj has been charge-sheeted and suspended on the report of five-member departmental (sexual harassment) inquiry committee, presided by Dr Renu Gupta. On July 4, 2010, the state had assured in a statement submitted before high court in another petition filed by the students that the accused would not be posted at IGMC.
The petitioners also stated that during the time of suspension, the accused had managed to act as proxy professor in the college and reportedly also singed the thesis paper of some students. The petitioners charged the principal of college for misleading DCI by submitted wrong statement projecting accused as one of the faculty member in the college when he was under suspension.
