AMU prof suspended after sexual harassment charge

AMU registrar Group Captain Shahrukh Shamshad confirmed that Professor Mohammad Shabbir has been suspended on charges of misconduct following complaint by a student pursuing LLM first year.

A detailed inquiry has been ordered into the matter,he added.

The victim,who belongs to Kashmir,had given the complaint to Dean of Law Faculty Professor Iqbal Ali Khan against Professor Shabbir,who is the chairman of law department.

The registrar,however,did not term the complaint as that of ‘sexual harassment.’

According to university authorities,the girl had given the complaint against Professor Shabbir on Tuesday and a preliminary inquiry was conducted on Wednesday.

On the basis of the findings of the inquiry,the professor was suspended on Thursday.

While the authorities denied to divulge the details of the findings of the preliminary inquiry,Law faculty dean Professor Iqbal Ali Khan told The Indian Express that the girl had filed the complaint with him and he had forwarded it to the higher authorities.

When inquired if the complaint has been forwarded to the police,Khan feigned ignorance.

Professor Shabbir could not be reached for comment.

According to sources,the university had suspended Professor Shabbir on similar charges of sexual harassment eight years ago on a complaint of US-based university girl student who had come on a visit. After going back to the US,she had lodged a complaint with the US embassy in this regard which was forwarded to the AMU authorities. Shabbir was suspended on the charges then as well. After four months,the inquiry had given him a clean chit and his suspension was revoked.