On September 17, a private university named Chandigarh University, located in Mohali, Punjab, saw a massive protest by students after it was revealed that a female student allegedly filmed 60+ female students in the hostel while they were bathing and sent the videos to a person in Shimla. The reports related to the incident started making headlines the following day with information about rumoured suicide attempts by at least eight female students of the University, out of which one was said to be dead.
Police and University have denied the claims of 60+ videos being leaked and girls attempting suicide. Furthermore, the media and students have been asked not to spread any message without confirming. As of now, three people, including the accused female student, her friend from Shimla, and another person from Shimla, have been arrested by Mohali Police. They were presented in court and have since been remanded to 7-day custody. Here is a look at how the events unfolded in a scandal that has rocked the nation.
How it all started?
On September 17, it came to light that a female student of Chandigarh University was allegedly caught by fellow students living in the girls’ hostel while filming another student taking a bath. Another claim was made that a few female students found out that their videos that were recorded while they were taking baths have gone viral on social media. Some social media accounts claimed that those students allegedly saw the videos. These claims could not be independently verified.
The accused student was questioned by the female students as well as by the warden, videos of which went viral on social media. In the first video, the warden can be seen questioning the accused student who asked her to make the video. She also instructed her to write an ‘apology letter’ and said she would be suspended from the University.
The girl informs the warden that she allegedly sent the videos to a man from Shimla. The warden questioned why she was “afraid” of the guy to the extent that she “disgraced” other female students of the University. It is noteworthy that the accused girl did not deny recording other girls in front of the warden.
1/N
— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) September 17, 2022
चंडीगढ़ यूनिवर्सिटी में पूरी रात हॉस्टल की लड़कियों के अश्लील वायरल वीडियो को लेकर मचा रहा हंगामा।
इसी छात्रा पर तक़रीबन 60 लड़कियों के छिपकर नहाते हुए वीडियो रिकॉर्ड कर पुरूष मित्र को भेजने के आरोप लगे हैं। #chandigarhuniversity #justiceforCUgirls pic.twitter.com/CLoLluXDIy
In the second video, the girls from the hostel could be seen confronting the accused girl. They questioned her why she made the video. “You must be under pressure. Tell us what happened. Calm down. We understand your situation, but you have to tell us,” said the girls. The accused girl showed the photograph of the person to whom she allegedly sent the videos. The girls told the accused girl that the matter would reach the Police.
2/N
— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) September 17, 2022
जिस लड़की ने वीडियो बनाए, उसने इसी लड़के को वीडियो भेजने की बात कही है।
हॉस्टल की बाक़ी लड़कियों के दबाव पर इस लड़की ने अश्लील वीडियो के रिकॉर्डिंग की बात को क़बूला है।#justiceforCUgirls #chandigarhuniversity pic.twitter.com/7xbdgrED6Q
Journalist Shbhankar Mishra shared a series of videos on the matter. In the third video, a girl could be seen being rushed to an ambulance by Police officials. The students of the University alleged that multiple girls tried to commit suicide following the incident and the girl that was being carried by the Police officials was one of them. However, Police and later University denied those claims.
3/N
— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) September 17, 2022
छात्रों का कहना है कि घटना से आहत कुछ लड़कियों ने आत्महत्या का प्रयास किया जिसमें 1 लड़की की मौत हो गई।
हालाँकि पुलिस इस बात से इंकार कर रही है।
उधर बच्चों द्वारा कॉलेज प्रबंधन पर प्रतिष्ठा के लिए मामले को दबाने के आरोप लग रहे।#justiceforCUgirls #chandigarhuniversity pic.twitter.com/SoCSJyLq8a
Students started protesting in Chandigarh University
After the students came to know what had happened at the University, they came out in large numbers and started protesting outside the University gate and around the hostel where the incident took place. The University, which was allegedly trying to suppress the matter, finally called the Police to control the students. Upon arrival, the Police tried to talk to the students, which further irked them, and they allegedly overturned a few PCR vans.
The Police used lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Police kept trying to calm the agitating students down, but the situation kept getting more and more tense.
The ‘clarifications’ from the Police and University administration
On Sunday (September 18), Police made multiple statements and denied the reports that the accused girl sent videos of other girls to the person in Shimla. Mohali SSP Vivek Soni said, “So far in our investigation, we have found out that there is only one video of the accused herself. She has not recorded any other video of anyone else. Even the [accused] student did not say that she made someone else’s video. Electronic devices and mobile phones have been taken into custody and will be sent for forensic examination today itself.”
Further talking to the media, SSP Soni said, “No suicide attempt or death has taken place. One student who was taken in an ambulance was suffering from anxiety, and our team is in contact with her. Apart from the video of one student, no other video has come to our notice.”
When asked why FIR was registered if no other girl’s video was leaked, SSP Soni said, “When we were informed about the incident, it was said that there might be videos of other girls as well. We were bound to initiate the investigation as per the law. Filing an FIR does not mean the accused is guilty. It is a standard procedure that we follow to initiate an investigation.”
Speaking about the protests, SSP Soni said protests happened because of the rumours. “We cannot give clean chit to anyone before completing the investigation,” he added. SSP Soni also urged media and social media users to restrain from publishing anything without verification.
Chandigarh University also backed the police statement
The Chandigarh University administration has also claimed that the reports of suicide attempts by girls are baseless and that no student attempted suicide. They also said there were no multiple videos of other girls, and the accused girl had recorded her own videos.
Speaking to the media, Chandigarh University officials said, “There are rumours that seven girls have committed suicide whereas the fact is that no girl has attempted any such step. No girl has been admitted to hospital in the incident.” They further added, “All the rumors of objectionable videos shot of other girl students are totally false and baseless. No videos were found of any student except a personal video shot by a girl which was shared by her with her boyfriend.”
Speaking to the media, the authorities said, “Some girls fainted during agitation, and medical attention was provided to those students.” Furthermore, the University authorities said that the investigation of videos had been taken up by the Police. “The University itself had reported to the Police about the matter. Police are investigating the matter, and FIR has been registered under IT Act and other relevant Sections. More information will be provided by the Police after the detailed investigation.”
Pro-Chancellor Dr RS Bawa also released a statement later on Sunday refuting all the claims made in reports and by the students. He said, “There are rumours that seven girls allegedly attempted suicide. The fact is, no girl attempted such a step. No girl was hospitalized. Another rumour suggested that 60 objectionable MMS has been found of different students. This is totally false and baseless.”
The reaction of the leaders
Several leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and opposition leaders released statements on the matter. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared. It’s a very sensitive matter and relates to the dignity of our sisters and daughters. We all, including media, should be very, very cautious, it is also test of ours now as a society.”
I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared.
— Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) September 18, 2022
It’s a very sensitive matter & relates to dignity of our sisters & daughters.
We all including media should be very very cautious,it is also test of ours now as a society.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described the event as unfortunate and ordered a high-level probe. He said, “Sad to hear about the incident at Chandigarh University…Our daughters are our pride…have ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident..Whoever is guilty will face strict action. I am constantly in touch with the administration. I appeal to all of you to avoid rumours.”
चंडीगढ़ यूनिवर्सिटी की घटना सुनकर दुख हुआ…हमारी बेटियां हमारी शान हैं…घटना की उच्च स्तरीय जांच के आदेश दे दिए हैं..जो भी दोषी होगा सख्त कार्रवाई करेंगे…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 18, 2022
मैं लगातार प्रशासन के संपर्क में हूं…मैं आप सब से अपील करता हूं कि अफवाहों से बचें… https://t.co/kgEGszUhAq
BJP leader Kirron Kher said, “I am morally shaken by the ghastly incident at Chandigarh University. The name of my city is being tarnished due to this institute. I want to clarify that it is based in Kharar, Punjab. My heartfelt concern goes out to the girls & their parents who are a victim of this incident.”
I am morally shaken by the ghastly incident at #ChandigarhUniversity. The name of my city is being tarnished due to this institute. I want to clarify that it is based in Kharar, Punjab. My heartfelt concern goes out to the girls & their parents who are a victim of this incident.
— Kirron Kher (@KirronKherBJP) September 18, 2022
ABVP Delhi also tweeted about the incident and said, “The incident of Chandigarh University hostel is very shameful and condemnable, the government should give strict punishment to the culprits behind this incident by conducting a fair investigation at the earliest.”
The incident of Chandigarh University hostel is very shameful and condemnable, the government should give strict punishment to the culprits behind this incident by conducting a fair investigation at the earliest.#ChandigarhUniversity
— ABVP Delhi (@ABVPDelhi) September 18, 2022
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “The issue of the viral video of Chandigarh University is a sensitive matter, and Punjab Police should take it seriously. It should be investigated thoroughly, and perpetrators must be held accountable. I urge all to support the girls. IT cell should keep a watch on those circulating the clips.”
The issue of #viralvideo of #ChandigarhUniversity is a sensitive matter & @PunjabPoliceInd should take it seriously.
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) September 18, 2022
It shd be investigated thoroughly & perpetrators must be held accountable. I urge all to support the girls. IT cell shd keep a watch on those circulating the clips pic.twitter.com/SVqKGn8uyS
The arrests of the accused
The accused girl was already arrested by the Police, and details of the person to whom she allegedly sent the videos were sent to Himachal Pradesh Police. One person was arrested, and another was detained by Himachal Pradesh Police. The person arrested was identified as 23-year-old Sunny Mehta, and the person detained was identified as 31-year-old Rankaj Verma. The Police teams from Rohru and Dhalli worked under SP Dr Monika and Shimla to nab the accused. They were later handed over to the Punjab Police team.
FIR in the case
FIR under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the IT Act was registered against the accused.
According to the Police FIR, a few girls suspected that the accused was filming six girls in the washroom. After interrogating the girl, the warden went to the hostel manager Ritu to inform her about the case. The accused was taken to the manager, where she refuted the claims. When they checked her phone, the photos and videos were found to be deleted.
During the meeting, the accused student was questioned if she had filmed and sent videos, to which she answered in the negative. There were no videos found on the accused’s phone when it was examined. Suspicions were aroused since the accused continued to receive calls and messages from a person throughout the episode.
The manager asked the accused to receive the call and put it on speaker. The accused was then asked to ask the caller to send screenshots of their chat. As the caller sent the screenshots of the chat, it became evident that videos were sent to the person, and subsequently, she confessed. The accused then said that she made the videos and then sent them to her friend Sunny in Shimla. It was after this confirmation that the manager reached out to the Police.
Video found on accused mobile, all three sent to Police remand
As per reports, two videos have been found in the mobiles of the accused that will now be sent for a forensic probe. One video is that of the accused girl, while the other one is of some other girl, ANI quoted the accused’s lawyer Sandeep Sharma as confirming to the media. All 3 have been sent to 7 days police remand.
Chandigarh University issue | All 3 have been sent on 7-day police remand. Their mobiles will be sent for forensic probe. 2 videos have been found. One is of the accused girl & other is of some other girl. A boy was blackmailing the girl: Sandeep Sharma, Advocate of the accused https://t.co/xJyBqY9ycV pic.twitter.com/0nC6nwD2zj
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2022
Meanwhile, the university has been closed till September 24.
#ChandigarhUniversityMMSleaked #chandigarhuniversity
— Sumit Chaudhary (@SumitDefence) September 19, 2022
The college administration has given a week’s leave to the students.
Earlier this leave was of 2 days which has been extended now for a week. #chandigarhuniversitymms pic.twitter.com/eVtFIngA2F
It is unclear why University and Police kept on claiming that the accused only sent her own videos to the person. The students continued protesting over the matter till 1:30 AM on September 19 and ended the protests after the administration agreed to their demands.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
