New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the 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 comprising 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 the Media Centre of Journalism.
The bench, in an order passed on October 14, said in any case, since now the appellant has realised 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 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 appellant shall also pay an amount of Rs.1,00,000/- as a token amount for the mental agony caused to the Respondent No.2 herein 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," said the bench.
The bench noted that senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for Ahmed, submitted that her client had made the aforesaid statement out of an emotional outburst. She contended that her client had no intention to damage the reputation of the professor.
"She also submits that the appellant is willing to tender an unconditional apology and is ready to compensate for notional damages. It is further submitted by Ms. Makhija that two daughters of the appellant are undergoing medical education. She therefore submits that this fact may be taken into consideration while determining the damages," the bench noted in its order.
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 a court at Rajendranagar. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Ahmed challenging the April 24, 2023 order passed by the single judge of the Telangana High Court which refused to quash proceedings against him. The High Court had found that even after Khan was discharged of the allegations in case of sexual harassment, the same phrase was used by Ahmed.
