Tender unconditional apology to professor: SC to ex-VC of Maulana Azad National Urdu University over 'sexual predator' remark

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed former chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Firoz Bakht Ahmed, to tender an unconditional apology to a fellow professor in connection with the "sexual predator" remark.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra said Ahmed should have thought about the consequences of the remark before making such wild allegations against Prof Ehtesham Ahmad Khan who was HoD of Media Centre of Journalism.

"In any case, since now the appellant has realized his mistake and is willing to tender an unconditional apology, we find that it will be in the interest of both the parties to put an end to the criminal proceedings as well as other proceedings pending between them."

"The appellant shall give unconditional apology to the respondent No.2 (Khan). The appellant shall publish the said unconditional apology by giving an advertisement in bold letters in Daily Eenadu on the first page of the newspaper, within a period of four weeks from today," the bench said in its October 14 order.

The apex court also directed Ahmed to pay Rs 1 lakh as a token amount for the mental agony caused to Khan on account of wild allegations made against him.

"The said amount be paid by way of a Demand Draft in favour of respondent No.2 herein, within a period of four weeks from today," it said.

Senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for Ahmed, submitted that the appellant had made the aforesaid statement out of an emotional outburst and had no intention to damage the reputation of the professor.

Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, appearing for Khan, stated that the appellant with full understanding of the consequences had chosen to make such wild allegations and deserves no leniency.

According to the complainant, Ahmed, while speaking to the media, described Prof Ehtesham Khan as a “sexual predator”.

The apex court quashed the criminal proceedings pending before court at Rajendranagar.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Ahmed challenging April 24, 2023 order passed by the single Judge of the Telangana High Court which had refused to quash proceedings against him.

The high court had found that even after the Khan was discharged of the allegations in case of sexual harassment , the same phrase was used by Ahmed.