NEW DELHI: The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences administration has found an assistant professor guilty of “unacceptable behaviour” against the head of his department and making phone calls to her at odd hours.
The administration has issued a warning and extended the probation period of the junior doctor, who was found guilty of misbehaving and harassing the woman head of his department. It also said the incident caused mental harassment to the senior.
In a complaint of harassment at workplace filed with the AIIMS administration and later with the Hauz Khas Police Station last year, the head of rheumatology department had said the junior doctor used to threaten her and make phone calls at odd hours.
A committee, constituted by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria in December last year to inquire into the complaint, in its report submitted in August this year, observed that there had been instances where the doctor made repeated mobile phone calls and indulged in “unnecessary correspondence to such an extent that the woman faculty felt threatened and approached the police for protection.”
“His hostile attitude, indecent, and arrogant behaviour with a senior faculty colleague, that too the head of the department, is unacceptable. This has caused mental harassment and perception of threat to her,” the committee said.
Following the committee’s report, the AIIMS administration issued a warning to the junior and in a disciplinary action, extended his probation period by one year. His conduct will reviewed at the end of the extended probation.
“The professor has failed to exercise restraint and exhibit civility which is essentially expected from a faculty member. He has behaved consistently in a way which is not acceptable from a faculty member of this institute with his senior female faculty member,” it added.
Meanwhile, the court of Special Executive Magistrate has asked the assistant professor to furnish a bond of `10,000 as an undertaking to maintain peace in connection with the complaint lodged against him with the police.