JNU sacked professor and Cong MP over sexual harassment charges

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has dismissed professor and Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam with immediate effect following an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment.The dismissal, ordered with immediate effect, was based on the findings of the university's Internal Committee (IC), which recommended a "major punishment" against him. According to a university order dated October 9 and signed by Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit, JNU’s Internal Committee conducted the inquiry and recommended a major punishment. The university said it decided to dismiss Akoijam after following due process and considering the available facts and the committee’s report. “Upon following the due process and considering all available facts and as per the report of the Internal Committee, the punishment of dismissal from the services of the university is hereby imposed,” the order stated.

In September, reports emerged that 11 students had filed complaints against Akoijam with JNU's Internal Complaints Committee in May 2026. The complaints reportedly followed allegations of inappropriate conduct during viva examinations in early May. According to media reports, students alleged that the professor made sexually suggestive remarks and offered higher marks in exchange for sexual favours. He was also accused of making inappropriate remarks during classes and making sexual advances at gatherings at his on-campus residence. 
The matter gained attention in September after students raised concerns about the handling of their complaints. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held protests on campus, demanding action against the professor and questioning the time taken to complete the inquiry. The Delhi Commission for Women also took suo motu cognisance of the matter in September after a video circulated on social media in which students alleged that they had submitted a complaint to the Vice-Chancellor in May but that no appropriate action had been taken. The commission sought an action-taken report from the university. The ABVP also questioned what it described as the silence of the Congress, its student wing NSUI and Left student organisations over the allegations.
Akoijam had rejected the allegations, accusing what he described as “racist schemers” of trying to damage his reputation through unverified allegations and lies. Akoijam taught at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems in JNU’s School of Social Sciences. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Manipur’s Inner Manipur constituency in 2024 on a Congress ticket.