JNU sacks Congress MP Bimol Akoijam over sexual harassment charges

Jawaharlal Nehru University has dismissed professor and Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam with immediate effect after an internal investigation upheld sexual harassment allegations made against him by 11 students.

The university’s vice-chancellor, Santishree D Pandit, signed the dismissal order on Friday, 9 October. The decision followed a report from JNU's Internal Committee, which recommended a major penalty after finding a "recurring pattern of conduct" that violated professional boundaries.

Akoijam, who teaches at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2024 representing the Inner Manipur constituency. He has denied all the allegations, previously describing them as lies manufactured by "racist schemers" aiming to ruin his reputation.

What the inquiry found

The allegations first surfaced on 18 May, when a student shared her experience of a viva examination on a private WhatsApp group. Her account prompted ten other students to come forward with similar complaints.

According to the committee's report, Akoijam routinely asked female students about their dating history and Valentine's Day plans during classes and examinations. In viva sessions, he allegedly asked students: "Do you have a boyfriend?" and "What activities do you do with your boyfriend?" He also asked for their opinions on affairs and "someone my age liking someone your age."

The panel also found that Akoijam used sexually explicit language. The report states that he asked students if they knew the meaning of the word "quickie", before explaining it as "quick sexual intercourse that can be done on top of a table", accompanied by hand gestures.

Other findings detailed in the report include:

• Unwelcome physical contact, including pinching students without their consent and asking them to hold his hand despite visible hesitation.
• Screening the anthology film Lust Stories in class without warning students about its sexually explicit content.
• Organising irregular viva examinations, including sessions at his campus residence that went on as late as 11:40 pm without any third person present.
• Making disparaging remarks about students from Bihar and Bengal, and mocking female students as "crybabies" during a farewell event.

The committee concluded that his behaviour created an "intimidating, offensive and hostile learning environment."

A split decision on punishment

While the university administration moved swiftly once the report was submitted on Friday afternoon, the committee itself was divided on how severely to punish the academic.

The presiding officer and several members of the panel argued for a major penalty. However, the student representatives on the committee refused to sign off on the recommendation, pushing instead for a minor penalty. Following consultations with lawyers, the report was ultimately submitted to the vice-chancellor with a note of dissent.

Under central government rules, a "dismissal" is the most severe major penalty possible. Unlike "removal from service", a dismissal ordinarily disqualifies an individual from securing any future government employment.

The investigation took longer than the standard 90-day limit because of the university's summer vacation, which ran from late May to early July. Akoijam did not respond to messages seeking comment after his dismissal was announced.