VJTI professor arrested for molesting student

Mumbai: The Matunga police has arrested professor B.G. Bilapatte, head of mathematics at premier engineering-technical institute, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), on charges of molesting a 20-year-old student on May 18.

Balasaheb Kakad, senior police inspector, Matunga police station, said, “The accused professor was arrested a week before and after being produced in a local court, was sent to judicial custody.”

According to the SPI, professor Bilapatte has been booked under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code that pertains to molestation. On the day of the incident, the student had approached the professor for his signature on a journal. However, he allegedly asked her to wait and at 5.15 pm, when the other staff had left for the day, he took her to his cabin and molested her.

A couple of days after the incident, the student lodged a complaint against the professor with the women’s development cell of VJTI. After ten more days passed without any action taken by the cell, the student approached the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, for help. On May 28, a delegation of the Yuva Sena barged into the cabin of VJTI director and professor, Dhiren Patel, after which, a formal complaint was registered with the police against the professor and an internal investigation committee was set up to probe the charges.

However, there is no update from the institute on the internal inquiry against him. Sources said that though the investigation is underway, the institute is dependent on the police in the case.