The student had enrolled herself for PhD in 1995 under Chelani and was dependent upon the scholarship to continue her education. The student had complained in March 1999 that her guide made unusual demands from her and harassed her sexually. She said could not protest Chelani's advances in the beginning as she thought her career and scholarship was dependent on Chelani's goodwill.

But gradually things became bad when Chelani started making physical advances, she said. The student stopped going to Chelani's home and her scholarship was stopped in November 1998.

The student complained to the Vice-Chancellor on March 29, 1999 who appointed a two-member advisory committee to look into the matter. On the basis of the committee's report, the V-C suspended Chelani, but had to revoke the suspension order on the same day under pressure from faculty. However, the V-C appointed another three-member committee whose report stated that there was no prima facie case of sexual harassment.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Girish Patel with Shalin Mehta argued that the three-member committee was not constituted as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court laid down in Vishakha case. Patel said the committee was totally biased as there was no independent member in it.

Patel submitted that the committee did not examine the student's witnesses and regarding the cessation of scholarship it merely stated that it was an administrative lapse.