Professor sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual abuse

After a two-year remand trial, Professor Pratap Diggal, Faculty of Theology, Serampore College, was today sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for sexual abuse and ordered to pay compensation of Rs 350,000 to the victim. The verdict was announced by Justice Manoj Kumar Rai.

Public prosecutor Joydeep Mukherjee said the professor of theology department of Serampore College had started a school. He usually called some students to his hostel for teaching purposes. He took advantage of the situation and sexually abused a female student. The victim informed her elder sister, who filed a complaint at the women’s police station in Serampore. The officer in charge of the women’s police station, Nevidita Koley, promptly arrested the professor.

However, the opposing counsel has raised and pointed out numerous inconsistencies in the ongoing proceedings and is prepared to appeal to the High Court in order to obtain a fair judgment.