At least 15 female students and three teachers of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bhopal, have levelled sexual harassment charges against the former joint director of the prestigious institution, Vasant R Kothari.
Kothari, who had worked in Bhopal for a relatively short period of three months (July-September) before being transferred, is currently the joint director of the NIFT, Jodhpur.
According to NIFT sources, Kothari has been accused of summoning female students to his chamber and passing lewd comments on them and trying to touch them. The matter was first reported in September, when Kothari allegedly harassed a female student inside his office. After the September incident, the student complained to the institution’s head office in Delhi, after which an internal committee comprising three male members and three female members was formed to look into the incident. However, during the committee meeting, one of the female members revealed that she was also harassed by Kothari.
“As of now, three faculty members and at least 15 female students have registered their complaints against him with the State Women’s Commission”, an official said.
Kothari was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to phone him.
State Women’s Commission chairperson Upma Rai confirmed to Express that the students and faculty members had accused Kothari of passing lewd comments and displaying obscene signs to them.
“We asked the NIFT to constitute an internal committee to look into the matter which they have already done,” Rai said.