A principal scientist at a CSIR research facility in Bengaluru was arrested after four PhD students lodged complaints of sexual harassment against him last week but was later released. The principal scientist associated with the CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute was arrested on Friday under section 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and was later released on bail.

An internal inquiry by a panel, which featured independent representatives into the charges of sexual harassment, had earlier this year exonerated the scientist. The students who worked with the earthquake scientist, in his capacity as a research co-ordinator, have accused him of making them stand next to him and of staring inappropriately at them.

Following the case, the scientist has obtained a court injunction against being named in the media in the matter. The students from Kerala were referred to the police by the Chairman of Expert Committee on Prevention of Sexual Violence and Congress leader, V S Ugrappa, after they approached former Karnataka chief secretary J Alexander.