The chairman of a private college in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar, Daswin John Grace, has been arrested, after a student of the college filed a complaint accusing him of sexual harassment and mental torture. The students staged a protest seeking immediate arrest of John, after a private video of him with a student, circulated within the college.
An FIR has been filed against Daswin after a student filed a complaint. The FIR registered on Saturday, June 11, at the Aruppukottai All Women Police Station is based on a complaint by a student who has alleged that the chairman sent her lewd messages and tricked her into sending messages to him. TM Daswin John Grace is the chairman of Arasu Electro Homeopathy Medical College and Hospital located in Aruppukottai. Daswin is also the president of the district BJP Minority Morcha.
The student had recorded a private video call she had with Daswin. When her friends found the video on the phone and questioned her, she informed them about the alleged harassment. Immediately, her friends copied the video to their phones to keep it safe. “We then went to one of our teachers for help, but they tried to delete the video. So we circulated it to everyone to keep it safe,” the student said and added that the visual of the survivor had been blurred in the circulated video to protect her identity.
Speaking to TNM, South Zone Inspector General of Police Asra Garg said that the student had complained that Daswin had tricked her into exchanging lewd messages. "We are looking into whether there are any other students who have similar complaints of harassment. If yes, they can approach us, and even if no one is, we will be actively looking to see whether there is a bigger pattern," he said.
Students who spoke to TNM, alleged that there had been allegations earlier too of harassment, but no one had lodged a complaint. “This is the first time we have solid evidence. The survivor belongs to SC (Scheduled Castes) community and is economically poor. According to her complaint, he had asked her to pay the fees and she explained about her family’s economic situation. He then asked her to do whatever he said, and she complied out of fear and pressure,” the student alleged.
Another student of the college, Surya said that they are hopeful more students will speak out. “As one girl spoke out, others are also disclosing their uncomfortable experiences. Today, we staged a protest with three demands – he should be charged with non-bailable offences, we should be handed over all our original certificates and all of us should be transferred to another college,” he said.
Daswin has been charged under sections 354A(2) (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism) and 506(i) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC and section 4 (penalty for harassment of woman) of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act and section 3(i)(w)(ii) (punishments for offences atrocities) of The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In 2017, the Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services and Family Welfare had sealed the institute citing that there was no approval or affiliation to the college, as well as lack of basic amenities. “The college has produced some certificates claiming they have affiliation to certain boards and universities. The police will verify these claims,” the police said.