After five days of continuous demonstration by Jawaharlal Nehru University students, the Delhi Police finally arrested professor Atul Johri in sexual harassment case today (Tuesday). However, it only lasted for one hour 20 minutes as the Patiala court granted him bail on the same day. JNU prof Atul Johri got bail almost instantly.
The police produced Johri in front of magistrate Ritu Singh. He moved his bail plea to her which said that sending him to jail would spoil his career. Johri provided the bail on a bail bond of Rs 30,000 for each of the eight FIRs registered against him. Police had sought 14-day custody of Johri.
दिल्ली पुलिस का काम केवल भाजपा के अपराधी मित्रों को खुले आम अपराध करने देने के लिए और विपक्ष के नेताओ को जेल में भरने के लिए नियुक्त किया गया है। फिर चाहे अपराधी पर महिला के शोषण का आरोप तक क्यों ना हो।
— Kunwar Ateeq (@KunwarAteeq) March 20, 2018
क्या भाजपा के लिए यही है "बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ"#AtulJohri
Messages from Reporter:
— Faye DSouza (@fayedsouza) March 20, 2018
Prof. Atul Johri arrested 5:42 pm
Prof. Atul Johri granted bail 7: 02 pm #JNU
“Johri’s statement during questioning in eight FIRs and similar complaints by other students were video recorded,” a senior police officer said.
Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhary told Indian Express, "We have recorded the statements of the complainants. A few more female students have approached the police and levelled similar allegations against Johri. They are being examined."
"We will initiate legal action. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj is closely monitoring the investigation.”
Prof. Atul Johri arrested 5:42 pm,@ProfJohri granted bail 7: 02 pm #JohriArrested#BJPdefendsJohri
— JNU Voice (@jnu_voice) March 20, 2018
Beating up Chief Secreatary gets you weeks in jail. Sexually harassing women gets you bail in 60 mins. Punishment to criminals are being decided not as per crime but as per their political affiliation. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao! https://t.co/8IDA1Tibew
— Sid (@sidmtweets) March 20, 2018
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JNU students had to stand firm in their decision of lodging the complaint and had to stage a demonstration outside the police station for two hours before the police agreed to file the FIR.
On March 17, seven complainants along with members of Gender Sensitization Committee against Sexual harassment (GSCASH) went to the Vasant Kunj police station at night to file harassment complaint against School of Life Sciences professor Johri. JNU student union vice president, Simone Zoya Khan told SheThePeople.TV that the police was reluctant in filing the complaint. They had to stand firm in their decision of lodging the complaint and had to stage a demonstration outside the police station for two hours before the police agreed to file the FIR.
The morning of March 18 brought two more complainants to the police station to file their complaints against Johri.
Now that #AtulJohri has got bail, the shameless VC of JNU @mamidala90 makes a return to Twitter. Normally, very active on Twitter, he had gone completely silent since the complaints were filed against Atul Johri. Still no word on his henchman Atul Johri. Such a shameless man.
— Umar Khalid (@UmarKhalidJNU) March 20, 2018
“The professor often makes sexually-coloured remarks, open demands for sex and comments on the figure of almost every girl. If a girl objects, he holds a grudge against her,” the women students had said in a statement.
“There is a financial nexus between the professor and the administration. It has not purchased any instrument for years, but still has spent crores of rupees,” it said.
The case is under fire from the netizens as it is trending on social media. People are criticizing police’s lagging action in the case. And the fact that Johri was bailed out so quickly has caught everyone’s attention in the online space.
I am hearing from unofficial sources at the #GuinnessWorldRecords that #AtulJohri case is being considered as a new global record time for a bailing out of an alleged molester ??
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) March 20, 2018
.#SlowClap ??? https://t.co/Ra6RsrvkP0