The Allahabad High Court has ordered the reinstatement of Meena Singh, private secretary to the vice chancellor of Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, whose services were repeatedly terminated after she lodged a sexual harassment complaint against the university registrar.
Justice Manju Rani Chauhan, while allowing Singh’s writ petition, quashed the termination order dated December 14, 2024, passed by the registrar, and directed the university to reinstate her as staff officer to the vice chancellor.
The court expressed astonishment that while the registrar — the very person against whom the harassment complaint was made — continued in service, the complainant was subjected to termination multiple times.
“This is a clear case of unnecessary harassment of the petitioner as all proceedings against her were initiated only after she lodged a complaint against the registrar,” Justice Chauhan observed.
The petitioner had earlier challenged her dismissal in court, where it was set aside and remanded. However, she was again terminated — a cycle that repeated more than four times until the High Court stepped in with its latest order.
The court held that the initiation of proceedings against Singh was not based on any genuine grounds but reflected a “premeditated and vindictive approach” by the university administration.
One of the grounds cited for her dismissal was that she had relied on a fake PhD degree to secure her position. The court, however, found this allegation baseless, noting that there were no rules or guidelines requiring preference for a higher degree for the post in question.
“The initiation of proceedings against the petitioner on such untenable grounds reflects a clear abuse of process and smacks of mala fides,” the order said, adding that the actions were not guided by bona fide considerations but were intended to victimise her.
Calling the termination “an arbitrary exercise of power” that could not be sustained in law, the court directed the university and the registrar to allow Singh to resume her duties as staff officer to the vice chancellor without delay.
