JU suspends lecturer Mondol

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, April 13

Jadavpur University (JU) has suspended Monojit Mondol, a lecturer in the English department and has initiated disciplinary action against him.
If Mondol is proved guilty, JU can punish him by taking away his increment, demotion, censor, temporary termination, a public and written apology, fine and compulsory retirement.
The university authorities have charged Mondol for refusing to submit answer scripts of 16 students. Mondal had alleged that the students have scribbled obscene comments on the answer script. Due the lecturer’s refusal, the university could not publish the results of 120 students for three months. An internal enquiry found the students ‘not guilty.’
On April 12, JU sent the suspension letter to Mondol under university’s statue number 116. “The university has decided to suspend Mondol and he has already received the letter,” said Rajat Bandhyopadhyay, registrar of the university.
On April 4, the executive council (EC) of the university recommended disciplinary action against Mondol and demanded his suspension. Though no time limit has been mentioned, Mondol cannot return to the university as long as the disciplinary enquiry against him is not over. However, the university has not decided on the time frame of the enquiry committee.
The vice-chancellor will be on the enquiry committee and will conduct the hearing or will authorise a person to act on his behalf. Mondol will be allowed to present his case. Then the university will frame a charge sheet against Mondol. The findings of the enquiry committee will go to the vice-chancellor after which it will have to be tabled in the EC, which in turn will decide on Mondol’s punishment.
Mondol however had alleged that a section of teachers and officials of the university has always tired to harass him because he belongs to Scheduled Caste and got his job in a quota. Mondol has filed a criminal case against the university officials in this regard in the Alipore Magistrate’s Court.
Mondol had also alleged that the obscene comments written by the students in their answer script was a way of harassing him. He also claimed that his mobile phone was being hacked and he was receiving death threats. Mondol also alleged inaction on part of the university in this regard and filed another case in the Calcutta High Court, which is now pending.
Mondol refused to submit the 16 ‘disputed’ original answer script to the university because he was to produce them as evidence in the court case. Reacting to the suspension letter Mondol’s wife Baishakhi Banerjee said, “We have received the letter. But will react to it only after we consult our lawyer.” The Mondol’s would try to find out whether the university could suspend him especially when the matter is sub-judice.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com