GTU prof alleges sexual harassment

Ahmedabad: A female professor at the School of Engineering and Technology at Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has lodged a sexual harassment complaint against the director of the department.
The accused, professor S D Panchal, has held various high-ranking positions at the university, including acting vice-chancellor, member of the board of governors, academic council member and university registrar.The complaint details that Panchal sent her numerous text messages daily, including on apps like Telegram, suggesting that she needed to meet him at a hotel to complete her PhD. However, GTU registrar K N Kher told TOI that he has not received any such complaint.
In a related incident, Professor Mukesh Khatik of the sociology department at Gujarat University was recently dismissed after being found guilty of similar allegations made by another female professor. In her complaint, the GTU professor stated that Panchal harassed her at the workplace, creating difficulties during her job and her PhD process. He allegedly visited her when she was alone in her cabin, discussed departmental or personal matters and attempted to gain her trust by claiming he was lonely and had suicidal thoughts.
Initially suspicious of his advances, the professor chose to remain silent due to her ongoing PhD. However, during the final stages of her PhD, Panchal's behaviour escalated. She alleges that in 2022, he attempted to sexually harass her, but she firmly rejected his advances. He began blackmailing, stalking, and threatening to ruin her career.