Shahjahanpur incident: SIT to probe grievances of LL.M. student, Allahabad HC to monitor probe

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will probe the grievances and apprehensions expressed by the LLM student who went missing after levelling allegations of sexual harassment against Swami Chinmayanand, the Supreme Court said today..In the suo motu petition before the Supreme Court, the Bench of Justices R Banumathi and AS Bopanna informed that, following interaction with the student, she had expressed certain grievances and her parents have expressed apprehensions..To look into these grievances and apprehensions, the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh will constitute an SIT headed by a police officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police. The team will also comprise the superintendent of police and other police officials..The Court has requested the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to constitute a Bench to monitor this probe. The SIT will also take note of the FIR and the cross FIR filed in the case..The Supreme Court, however, on a very limited aspect of the girl’s education has retained the petition with itself. The Court is concerned about the girl’s education, opining that the same shall not be disturbed or discontinued in light of the fact that she has expressed serious reservations and grievances about the management of the institute..On this aspect, the Counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh have been directed to apprise the Court of the institutes where the girl can be accommodated..The LLM student from the Swami Shukdevanand Law College (SS Law College) in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh had posted videos online leveling allegations of sexual harassment against Swami Chinmayanand. The student went missing three days after the allegations were made..The Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the incident after a group of lawyers had written a letter to the Court urging for the same..When the suo motu case was taken up for hearing last week by the the Court, it was informed that the girl had been located in Rajasthan according to a statement released by the Uttar Pradesh Police. Following the Court’s direction, the student was produced before the Court the same day. Following interaction with the student in chambers, the Bench proceeded to direct the Registry to make arrangements for her stay in Delhi, in line with the student’s wishes.