Woman in Jaipur Accuses College Treasurer of Harassing, Pressurising Her to Gain Sexual Favours

Mirror Now
January 2, 2019

https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/article/rajasthan-jaipur-saint-xaviers-college-vice-principal-treasurer-sexual-harassment-internal-committee-vishakha-guidelines/340250

Jaipur: In the wake of the MeToo movement making inroads in India in the past couple of months, an appalling matter has come to light from Jaipur in Rajasthan where a 44-year-old woman has accused the vice principal of a missionary-run college of sexually exploiting her. In her complaint, the woman has accused one priest named Joshy Kuruvilla of harassing and pressurising her to court sexual favours.

What is even more shocking is that an internal committee formed by college authorities to investigate the matter under the ambit of the Vishakha Guidelines, in its report submitted on December 22 of last year, found the complainant 'indisciplined' and recommended action against her. The committee had launched a probe following a complaint by the woman on July 26 of 2018.

Joshy Kuruvilla joined Saint Xavier's college in Jaipur as vice principal in 2013, said the complainant who had been working with the institution since 2010. He made indecent remarks and summoned me to his room when no one else was around, said the woman in her complaint adding that her ordeal took a turn for the worse when Kuruvilla was named treasurer of the college which made him her direct supervisor. He even allegedly ordered the repositioning of CCTV cameras in such a manner so as to keep an eye on the complainant, said police.

Snubbed by the committee formed to probe her complaint, the woman has now decided to approach the Rajasthan High Court in her search for justice. Speaking to media outlets, she voiced her fear of being terminated from employment by college authorities in light of her decision to seek judicial justice.