Exclusive: “Prof. Jena Claims Sexual Harassment Case Is a Cover-Up for Caste-Based Abuse” Informs Registrar P.K. Nath

The controversy at Assam University has deepened as new details emerge regarding the allegations made by Assistant Professor Ajit Kumar Jena, who is currently facing serious accusations of sexual harassment. In a conversation with Barak Bulletin, Registrar Pradosh Kiran Nath confirmed that Prof. Jena has also accused faculty members of the Department of Social Work—particularly the Head of the Department—of caste-based discrimination and making casteist remarks against him for being Dalit.

Registrar Nath stated that Prof. Jena believes the sexual harassment allegations filed against him are a form of retaliation aimed at covering up casteist behaviour towards him. “We can’t ignore an allegation of caste-based discrimination, especially when it’s against the head of a department,” he said. He added that Prof. Jena had submitted this complaint to the Vice-Chancellor on May 2 and 3. The university has decided to investigate this complaint separately, and a committee will be formed soon.

Currently, Prof. Jena is reportedly unreachable. “We are cooperating with police but he is not reachable. We have sent a mail to him asking him to report to the police administration at the earliest but he is nowhere to be found. Nobody is able to contact him,” Registrar Nath revealed.

In light of the sexual harassment allegations, the university has directed Prof. Jena to apply for leave with immediate effect, initially for one month. He has been asked not to enter the campus or leave Silchar without prior approval. This step was taken following protests that erupted on Sunday, May 4, and continued into Monday, May 5. Students have been demanding his immediate suspension and threatened an indefinite hunger strike.

Speaking on the multiple instances of sexual harassment allegations that have surfaced in recent years, Registrar Nath admitted it has harmed the university’s reputation. “We feel extremely bad that because of a small percentage of people with such narrow minds, the name of the university is tarnished,” he said. He added that the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) keeps data on each complaint and that the university takes steps to sensitise staff, faculty, and students about proper conduct and ethics.

He emphasised that while the administration takes awareness programmes and strict action seriously, legal constraints often limit their power. “Our duty is to take due precautions. University is a legal institution, and we have to work under the legal framework, so we can’t take any drastic decision like a kangaroo court,” he said. He also noted that sometimes when cases reach court, victims choose not to pursue them, resulting in the accused being acquitted, after which the university is legally bound to halt action.

This latest development comes after the university issued a letter to Prof. Jena, referring the sexual harassment matter to the ICC for investigation and directing him to take leave. That letter also mentioned that his own complaint would be probed separately. However, student protesters claimed this was not enough and continued their agitation until Monday afternoon.

The case against Prof. Jena, as mentioned in the FIR filed by three students from the Department of Social Work, includes charges of sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, defamation, and mental harassment. Students say they will not back down until justice is served and demand more decisive action from the university administration.

For the time being, students have temporarily halted their protest, informed Registrar Pradosh Kiran Nath. He stated that the university’s decision to place Prof. Ajit Kumar Jena on forced leave and restrict his movement has led to the pause in agitation.