Bhubaneswar, Nov. 19: Police today arrested Air Hostess and Hospitality Academy director Dilip Routray, 58, on charges of cheating and molestation.
The institute has hogged limelight after students vandalised it yesterday over delay in distribution of certificates. There have been allegations that the students faced sexual harassment at a firm where some of them had been placed after completion of their courses.
The police found that the institute had been alluring students from various districts by promising lucrative careers in the aviation industry. "It used to attract students with a course fee of Rs 1.53 lakh, which includes hostel facilities. But, once the students are enrolled they were not provided with hostel accommodation," said a police official.
The cops also found that money receipts and brochures of the institute did not mention the name of the university to which it was affiliated. "We have seized a few letters, which suggested that the institute's affiliation was cancelled in September, but it had been enrolling students till this November," he said. The cops are also trying to ascertain whether the institute was affiliated to the Karnataka State Open University as claimed by its director.
The police also served notices to the institute's 10 former students, who had allegedly ransacked the institute near Ram Mandir Square.
"We have arrested Routray after finding that the institute has enrolled students without valid affiliation. Besides, we are also planning to send a team to Hyderabad to verify the allegations of a few students of sexual harassment," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.
The students had alleged that the institute maintained silence when they had complained of sexual harassment by their employers in Hyderabad - who were recommended by the institute. The students alleged that the institute authorities had threatened them and their parents with dire consequences after they demanded certificates.
Routray was arrested under sections 354 (outraging the modesty), 420 (cheating), 294 (use of obscene language) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said. Yesterday, the students damaged computers and furniture at the institute. They also allegedly dragged out a few officials, including Routray, from their chambers and assaulted them.
