Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti

Posted on by Rudrajyoti Nath Ray

Vaneeta Patnaik is a Faculty Member of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti was appointed as a Vice Chancellor of NUJS on 03.07.2019.

September, 2019 – Dr. Nirmal insisted Vaneeta should accompany him for dinner. He even touched Vaneeta in a manner that made her extremely uncomfortable. October, 2019 – Dr. Nirmal demanded sexual favour. April, 2023 – Dr. Nirmal asked Vaneeta to accompany him on a trip. Thereafter, no incident of ‘sexual harassment’ is alleged to have taken place. The actions taken against Vaneeta in August, 2023 do not create a gender based hostile environment and fall short of being actions amounting to acts of ‘sexual harassment’.

The wrong which has been committed against Vaneeta may not be investigated on technical grounds, but it must not be forgotten. Vaneeta Patnaik v. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti, Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 17936 of 2025 shall be made part of Dr. Nirmal’s resume, which shall be strictly ensured by him personally.

Hon’ble Justice Pankaj Mithal

The taboo around Sexual Harassment at Workplace and fear of stigma which may be attached to an ‘aggrieved woman’, as a consequence of a Complaint regarding Sexual Harassment, already poses a massive psychological barrier…

– Hon’ble Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Dr. Sohail Malik v. Union of India, [Civil Appeal No. 404 of 2024] decided on 10.12.2025.

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