Conversion claim: St Stephen's Principal dragged to court

New Delhi, Feb 1: Valson Thampu, Principal of St Stephen's College, has been dragged to court by a suspended administrative officer of the institution who alleged that he was pressurising him to convert to Christianity.

Additional District Judge Kamini Lau asked the principal and a college employee Deepak Mukarji to respond by February 25 to the allegations levelled by Subha Kumar Dash, who was working as administrative officer there.

The court issued notices to Thampu and Mukarji on Dash's plaint in which he has sought Rs five lakh as damages from them for allegedly tarnishing his image.

Dash alleged that in January, 2014 Thampu had pressurised him to convert from Hinduism to Christianity and from October 1, 2014 onwards, serious differences started between them when he did not oblige the Principal on conversion.

He claimed that the principal had alleged that Dash was an alcoholic and insane, which was intended to tarnish his image. On November 2, 2014, he had sent two text messages to the Principal protesting the alleged insult and harassment meted out to him and his family members which caused him depression.

Regarding Mukarji, the plaint said he "cast aspersions on the character of Dash referring to his often drunken state". The plaint said that Dash was suspended last year when he came back from medical leave.

PTI