A major win for Professor Anand Viswanathan in Kerala
In a big development, a court in Thodupuzha, Kerala, has cleared Professor Anand Viswanathan of all charges in a sexual harassment case that lasted over a decade. The court called the allegations false and linked them to a political conspiracy.
The case started in 2014 when five students accused Viswanathan, who used to head the Economics Department at Munnar Government College, of harassment during their MA Economics exam. The students claimed that he threatened them and tried to intimidate them with warnings about their exam marks.
Following these accusations, police registered multiple cases against the professor. Some charges led to convictions, with Viswanathan being sentenced to three years in jail and fined Rs 5,000. However, in 2021, he challenged these convictions.
The recent court decision was made after reviewing the case and evidence. The court pointed out that the students’ complaints appeared to be motivated by a grudge because they were caught copying during the exam. An inquiry by the university also found no proof of harassment.
The court criticized the way the case was handled, alleging that the charges were manipulated to settle political scores. It also accused the police of acting under outside influence, not doing their proper duty.
Professor Viswanathan expressed relief after the verdict. He told the media that his family stood by him and accused the college principal and local politicians, including MLA Rajendran, of framing him with political influence.
He reiterated that the case was a conspiracy and said he was targeted for doing his job. This 11-year-long legal battle finally ended with the court declaring him innocent and stating that he was falsely implicated to settle political scores.
This verdict brings closure to a long-standing controversy and supports the idea that justice has been served.
