It is advisable to forgive the wrongdoer but not to forget the wrongdoing, the Supreme Court has said while directing that its verdict with details of alleged sexual harassment by a vice-chancellor of a university be made part of his resume so that it "haunts" him forever, after the complaint against him was time-barred.
A Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B Varale passed the order on Friday (September 12, 2025) on a plea by a faculty member of a West Bengal-based university who had lodged the complaint in December 2023 alleging sexual harassment by the V-C.
Re-examine harassment charge by WBNUJS professor against VC directs Calcutta HC
The apex court said the Calcutta High Court's division bench had committed no error of law in restoring the decision of the local complaint committee (LCC) that the appellant's complaint was time-barred and was liable to be dismissed.
"It is advisable to forgive the wrongdoer, but not to forget the wrongdoing. The wrong which has been committed against the appellant [faculty member] may not be investigated on technical grounds, but it must not be forgotten," the Bench said.
