Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sacked a professor from its School of International Studies over allegations of sexual misconduct with a Japanese Embassy official.

Action against Prof Swaran Singh was taken after an investigation conducted by the university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) concluded on Wednesday.

“The Japanese official, who was acquainted with Singh, had been in regular contact with the professor to coordinate conferences. However, she filed a complaint with the university’s ICC and submitted recordings of their conversations as evidence,” a JNU official said.

Singh’s dismissal comes just a year away from his retirement. Allegedly, owing to previous complaints of misconduct and the current case against him, Singh has been stripped of his retirement benefits as well.

The Council meeting also took disciplinary action against three other faculty members based on ICC recommendations.

Two faculty members, affiliated with JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies and the School of Physical Sciences, were penalised with the withholding of three annual increments each. A third faculty member, from the Sanskrit Centre, was found guilty of alleged inappropriate behaviour classified as a minor offence and was directed to undergo sensitisation training.

“These decisions reflect the administration’s zero tolerance policy against corruption and sexual offences. For the first time, students have been given representation in the ICC, an important step toward preserving JNU’s democratic culture,” Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said.

Singh was part of the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament (CIPOD). A faculty member from the School of International Studies, under which CIPOD operates, said the university became aware of the complaint “around May last year”. “The ICC carried out an investigation and found that he had also faced allegations of misconduct earlier, during his time as an associate professor as well,” the official said.

The accused had previously resigned from his role as associate professor at JNU following similar allegations and later rejoined as a professor. There are at least eight complaints of alleged sexual harassment against Singh over the years.

Inputs from Indian Express