Delhi court seeks police response to Manipur MP’s anticipatory bail plea

A Delhi court on Tuesday issued notice to the Delhi Police on an anticipatory bail application filed by Inner Manipur Congress MP and former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in a sexual-harassment case, Northeast Now reported. The application seeks protection from arrest while the investigation proceeds.

Court proceedings

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh directed the Delhi Police to submit a written response to the bail plea and ordered that no coercive action be taken against Akoijam until the next hearing. The next hearing is scheduled for November 5, when the investigating officer is required to appear with the complete case records. The judge said the anticipatory bail application will be considered at that hearing and that the court’s direction to refrain from coercive measures will remain in force until then.

Background of the allegations

Akoijam was dismissed from his JNU position in October after a series of sexual-harassment allegations surfaced. He described the termination as a “witch hunt” and questioned whether due process was followed. On October 12, the Delhi Police registered an FIR at Vasant Kunj North Police Station, days after the university terminated his services. According to the FIR, at least eleven female students had lodged complaints in May, alleging that Akoijam invited them to his campus residence under the pretext of meetings or social gatherings and then attempted to sexually harass them. Some complainants also said he made obscene and inappropriate remarks during classroom interactions.

Internal Committee and FIR details

JNU’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) submitted a complaint and supporting documents to the police, prompting the FIR. The FIR notes that the university’s Internal Committee (IC) examined the complaints, recorded its assessment after hearing witnesses, defence witnesses and reviewing other material, and forwarded its findings and observations to the police. The FIR further states that the allegations against Akoijam, who was associated with the Centre for Studies of Social Systems under JNU’s School of Social Sciences, were examined by the IC after considering the statements of witnesses and other evidence gathered during the inquiry.

Current status and related court actions

The matter now rests with the Delhi court, which awaits the police response to Akoijam’s anticipatory bail plea at the November 5 hearing. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court stayed JNU’s termination order on Monday and listed the matter for further hearing in January 2027, according to the report. The court’s directive that no coercive action be taken against Akoijam remains in effect until the next hearing, and the investigating officer is expected to present the case records as ordered by the judge.