NEW DELHI: The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday issued notice to Delhi Police on the anticipatory bail plea of Manipur MP and former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Bimol Akoijam in a sexual harassment case and extended his interim protection till November 5.Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh sought the police response and directed the investigating agency to place on record the complaint filed by JNU students against Akoijam. The matter has been listed for arguments on November 5.Akoijam is seeking anticipatory bail in an FIR registered at Vasant Kunj North police station following allegations of sexual harassment levelled by 11 JNU students against him when he was working as a professor at the university.Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat appeared for Delhi Police and accepted the notice. The police have already filed a reply before the Patiala House Court.During the hearing, Akoijam’s counsel submitted that the complaint was made by a group of students to the dean and not by any aggrieved woman directly. The counsel also said the university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had examined the matter and its report had been annexed to the bail application.The defence further submitted that Akoijam had cooperated with the investigation and appeared before the investigating officer, while the alleged complainant was not joining the probe. The counsel also pointed out that the high court had stayed his termination from the university.
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Akoijam had initially secured transit anticipatory bail from a Manipur court on October 12, which was extended till October 20 and subsequently till October 29.He then approached the Patiala House Court, which granted him interim protection till November 2. However, the court held that it could not hear his anticipatory bail plea as he is a sitting MP, and that the matter fell within the jurisdiction of the Rouse Avenue Court.The investigating officer had also opposed the plea on the jurisdictional ground. Following the transfer of the case, Akoijam moved the Rouse Avenue Court for anticipatory bail.
