Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has directed the reinstatement of a private secretary to vice-chancellor of Noida-based university, whose service was terminated after she had allegedly made a complaint alleging sexual harassment against the registrar of the university. The court set aside the termination order expressing surprise that the registrar against whom the complaint was made is continuing in service while the petitioner has been sacked.After the petitioner challenged her termination in HC, it was set aside. But the petitioner was again terminated. This continued over four times till the present court ordered her reinstatement. Allowing her writ petition, Justice Manju Rani Chauhan directed her reinstatement on September 16, observing, “It is a clear case of unnecessary harassment of the petitioner, as all proceedings against her were initiated only after she lodged a complaint against the registrar. This sequence of events unmistakably reflects the conduct of the registrar, who continued in service, whereas the petitioner has been removed from employment.” The court also held that the university had initiated proceedings only to harass and target the petitioner showing a premeditated and vindictive approach. “This court is constrained to observe that the initiation of proceedings against the petitioner on such untenable grounds reflects a clear abuse of process and smacks of mala fides. Such conduct, in the considered opinion of this court, amounts to an arbitrary exercise of power and cannot be countenanced in law,” the court said.