Hyderabad: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday disposed of a sexual harassment complaint filed by a woman faculty member against Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) director general Dr Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, after an online hearing conducted by the NCW chairperson.The hearing was attended by ASCI chairman K Padmanabhaiah, Ramesh Kumar and Dr Valli Manickam, chairperson of the internal complaints committee (ICC).ASCI’s chief information officer stated that, after hearing the parties and considering the submissions, the NCW chairperson disposed of the matter. “Accordingly, the proceedings before the commission stand concluded,” the official said.Ramesh Kumar informed TOI, “ASCI is happy with the outcome of the hearing.”The woman professor, however, said the NCW told her that its purview was limited and advised her to approach the courts. She said she would take further steps accordingly. “It is clear that the inquiry by the ICC itself is illegal and will be challenged in a court of law,” she said.She added that the NCW asked her why she had not appeared before the ICC. “My answer was that I contested the legal validity and constitution of the committee,” she said. She alleged that the committee had expired and that she did not appear before it because it had people under the DG’s control. She said she would continue her fight.Chairman says ICC functioning for yearsAsked about CCTV footage of the alleged 2024 incident in which Ramesh Kumar allegedly walked into the professor’s room, Padmanabhaiah said, “I am not aware that there is CCTV footage of the alleged 2024 incident. This is the first time I am hearing about it.”On the ICC, he said, “The committee has been functioning in ASCI for many years. It is fully geared to handle any complaints. In the last 10 years, there has been only one case of alleged sexual harassment filed before the NCW. But efforts are on by certain vested interests to exaggerate the issue.”
