HYDERABAD: Justice K Surender of Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by former Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) Firoz Bakht Ahmed, seeking quashing of criminal proceedings in connection with the “sexual predator” remark he made against Prof Ehtesham Ahmad Khan, HoD of Media Centre of Journalism.
While refusing to stop the proceedings, Justice Surender observed: “It goes without saying that the remarks made in the current petition are intended to resolve the first petition filed to halt the proceedings. The Criminal Petition is thus rejected.”
Prof Ehtesham had filed a private case against the petitioner, citing violation of Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. According to the complainant, the petitioner while speaking to the media described Prof Ehtesham as a “sexual predator” in an attempt to deliberately “slander and harm” his reputation.
According to the complainant, the above mentioned plea was submitted on the basis of complaints made by frustrated students, and the respondent was repeatedly referred to as a “sexual predator”. Two female students had filed complaints, alleging that three members of the faculty were behaving inappropriately. Based on the accusations, Firoz Bakht Ahmed wrote to the DGP of Telangana and other authorities, with details of the complaint, and naming the respondent and two others as “sexual predators”.
Prof Ehtesham filed the current case after Firoz Bakht Ahmed was issued a notice to tender an apology and pay Rs 16 lakh in compensation. After hearing the arguments of both the petitioner and the respondent, the court rejected the quash petition filed by Firoz Bakht Ahmed.