Bihar: Dairy tech institute chief sacked for harassing female professors

Patna: The head of a dairy technology institute in Bihar has been dismissed from service for calling up female professors during late hours.

Dr. BS Beniwal who was working as a dean of Patna-based Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology (SGIDT) was fired by the state government on Thursday after charges were found to be true during the course of investigation.

Beniwal had hit the headlines last month when an opposition lawmaker raised the issue of his gross misconduct on the floors of the Bihar state assembly, alleging how the said dean had been calling up the female professors during odd hours—especially past midnight—and talking “non-sense” over phones. According to reports, the official had been sexually harassing the female staffs for the past two years.

Responding to lawmaker’s call attention notice, Bihar minister for animal husbandry and fisheries Mukesh Sahani ordered an investigation into the matter and also sought for a detailed report on WhatsApp chats the accused official had with the female staffs.

Molesting girls

Eventually, the dean was fired from service by the Bihar Animal Sciences University vice-chancellor Dr Rameshwar Singh after charges were found to be true by the committee entrusted with the task of investigation. The dean was earlier accused of molesting the girl students in Haryana agriculture institute after which he was placed under suspension, media reports said.

Several female professors have complained that the dean went on sexually harassing them right since he joined the Institute of Dairy Technology here after which they made constant efforts to meet the vice-chancellor concerned and report the matter but were never given the appointment.