Defamation suit by RU teacher against VC, four others

Sociology teacher Sabyasachi Saha filed the suit on May 24 after the university authorities temporarily suspended him on an allegation of sexual abuse of a student. The notices are returnable by June 21.

The Rajshahi Joint Judge Court on Sunday issued show cause notices on Vice-chancellor Prof Altaf Hossain, Registrar Prof Abdus Salam, Sociology departmental chairman Prof Faizar Rahman, Arts Faculty Dean Prof Muhammad Shafi and another teacher.

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Sources said, a second year student of Sociology on May 7 submitted a written complaint to the department chairman Prof Faizar Rahman that she was abused by Sabyasachi Shaha.

The university Syndicate at a meeting on May 10 formed a six-member committee headed by Arts Faculty Dean Prof Mohammad Shafi to probe the allegation. The authorities temporarily suspended Sabyasachi before submission of the report, the sources said.

Sabyasachi filed the defamation suit, claiming that the action was illegal.

In the suit he claimed that the allegation and action against him was part of a conspiracy by some vested quarters, who were zealous of his reputation as a good teacher.

When contacted, Prof Mohammad Shafi said the defamation suit and show cause notices will not hamper the ongoing investigation because the court has not stopped its work.