Days after JNU sacked him over sexual harassment allegations, FIR against Congress MP Bimol Akoijam

FIR was lodged at Vasant Kunj North Police Station on a JNU complaint. Akoijam has rejected the charges against him, saying he has become a victim of BJP’s political ‘witch hunt’.

In an interview with ThePrint on Sunday, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam,denied the allegations.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress MP Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, days after he was sacked by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as a faculty over allegations of sexual harassment.

The FIR against the Congress’ Inner Manipur MP was lodged at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station Sunday based on a complaint and documents submitted by JNU’s Chief Security Officer (CSO). 

It came two days after the university sacked Akoijam after its internal committee investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against him recommended “major punishment”. 

However, in an exclusive interview with ThePrint on Sunday, Akoijam denied the allegations, calling his sacking from JNU a political “witch hunt” and accusing the BJP of concocting false charges against him to silence his voice ahead of upcoming state assembly elections.

What the FIR says

According to the FIR, the assessment and observations recorded by the members of the Internal Committee (IC) were forwarded to the police following an internal investigation by JNU. 

In the complaint filed to the police, the JNU CSO said that upon the perusal of the aforesaid documents, it was revealed that the Internal Committee conducted an inquiry into the allegations raised by the various complainants/victims and recorded its findings, assessment, and observations in the matter.

“The allegations against Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Centre for Studies of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, JNU, have been examined by the Internal Committee, and after assessment of witnesses, defence witnesses, and other material came on record,” the FIR states.

It further states that the committee does not consider the incident that triggered the IC probe was an isolated one. 

“The defendant’s own statement, witness accounts, and independent evidence, when assessed cumulatively, establish a recurring pattern of inappropriate personal interaction, sexually suggestive conduct, and unwelcome physical contact. In addition, it created an intimidating, offensive, and hostile learning environment with inadequate professional boundaries in interaction with female students,” it added. 

The FIR highlights the precedent set in HCL Technologies Limited V. N. Parthasarathi (22 Jan 2025), noting that the conduct of the accused was established as sexual harassment based on its unwelcome nature and impact on the complainant regardless of stated intentions.

The FIR invokes Sections 75, 75(1)(i), 75(1)(iv), and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

While Sections 75, 75(1)(i), and 75(1)(iv) penalise sexual harassment involving unwelcome physical contact, advances, and sexually coloured remarks, Section 79 penalises any word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty or intrude upon the privacy of a woman.

Meanwhile, the JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) Sunday issued a statement questioning the university administration’s procedural lapses and alleging that the decision to terminate the professor violated institutional rules. 

Citing statute 30 of the JNU Act, the JNUTA argued that the dismissal could not be ordered unilaterally by the Vice-Chancellor without the Executive Council’s explicit approval, noting that no council meeting was convened nor were relevant documents circulated prior to the order.

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)