The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to Delhi Police on a plea filed by eight women research scholars of JNU for not filing a chargesheet against Professor Atul Johri accused of sexual assault involving various other sections of IPC.

The single-judge bench of Justice J R Midha sought Delhi Police response and adjourned the matter for next hearing to Oct 31.

The petitioners have said in the plea that status report filed on behalf of Station House Officer (SHO), Vasant Kunj (North) Police Station and investigating officer (IO), Vasant Kunj (North) Police Station fails to provide any justification for non-filing of chargesheet against Johri despite lapse of more than a year since registration of FIR.

“That despite the fact that the F.I.R’s were registered and Sec 164 Cr.P.C statement recorded more than a year ago, no chargesheet has been filed by SHO and IO…  Law, public policy and judicial precedent requires that sexual offences against women are: handled with utmost sensitivity and investigated into and prosecuted in an expeditious manner, to curb the spiralling graph of sexual violence against women,” the petitioners said.

—India Legal Bureau