A significant controversy has broken out at Symbiosis Law School in Nagpur following serious allegations levelled against Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmar Afaq. Multiple Hindu female students have accused him of sending sexually explicit text messages while simultaneously pressuring them to observe Islamic practices, specifically urging them to perform Namaz, study the Quran, and convert to Islam.

Allegations Raised Against Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmar Afaq

The matter surfaced after an affected female student shared the explicit communications she allegedly received from the professor with her father. In response, the student’s father contacted members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The organization subsequently intervened by bringing the incident directly to the attention of the university administration and holding an official meeting with the Nagpur Police Commissioner to demand immediate scrutiny.

According to formal statements and media reports, Dr. Afaq routinely sent messages that breached acceptable ethical boundaries. The complaints emphasize that these communications intertwined unwanted sexual overtures with persistent demands to abandon their faith and adopt Islamic rituals, including specific instructions to read religious texts and offer daily Namaz.

Internal Inquiry Committee Formed as Faculty Member Is Placed on Compulsory Leave

Following the submission of a formal complaint by the victim, the Symbiosis Law School administration took formal cognizance of the issue. The institute constituted a high-level committee tasked with conducting an exhaustive investigation and recommending disciplinary measures. As an interim measure pending the outcome of the probe, Dr. Ahmar Afaq was barred from entering the university grounds and directed to go on leave.

Dr. Sukhvinder Singh Dari, Director of Symbiosis Law School Nagpur, affirmed that the faculty member under scrutiny has been explicitly instructed to stay away from the campus and cease all academic engagements until the inquiry concludes. Furthermore, university officials confirmed that the internal inquiry will broaden its scope to review previous, similar complaints reported against Afaq during his earlier academic tenure at an institution in Hyderabad.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) Nityanand Jha, a group consisting of 15 to 17 representatives from various social organizations assembled outside the Symbiosis campus at roughly 11:30 AM on Saturday, 17th October. Local law enforcement arrived at the scene to mediate discussions between the demonstrators and the university management, which culminated in the decision to place the professor on administrative leave.

The confrontation intensified later that evening at approximately 6:45 PM, when an assembly of 15 to 20 individuals arrived at the premises accompanying the complainant and her father. Local reports indicate that when the father directly confronted Dr. Afaq, the situation turned physical, leading to an altercation where Afaq reportedly attacked the parent, who struck the professor back in response.

To de-escalate tensions, the varsity’s internal committee organized an open-house forum that drew the attendance of over 100 to 120 concerned students. Following police mediation, a designated team of six to seven delegates held formal discussions with the university leadership. As of Sunday, 18th October, law enforcement noted that an official First Information Report (FIR) had not yet been registered with the local police station.

In parallel with on-campus unrest, extensive public discussion emerged across digital platforms. Social media users circulated an older photograph showing Dr. Ahmar Afaq posing alongside Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), prompting public debate regarding possible political patronage.

Campus Community and Parents File Petition Seeking Independent Inquiry

In response to the administration's preliminary measures, a united collective of students, alumni, and parents submitted an extensive formal representation to the university leadership. Concurrently, they initiated an online campaign titled Upholding Symbiosis Values: Zero Tolerance for Misconduct hosted on iPetitions to press for accountability, transparent procedures, and guaranteed student safety.

The opening text of the representation reads:

“We, the students, alumni, parents, and concerned members of the academic community associated with Symbiosis Law School (SLS), Nagpur, respectfully submit this representation to express our serious concern regarding certain recent developments on campus, the concerns raised by members of the student community, and the perceived lack of timely and transparent communication from the institutional administration,”

The document directly addresses the accusations surrounding religiously provocative and sexually explicit interactions:

“Concerns have been raised regarding communications allegedly exchanged between Assistant Professor Ahmar Afaq and a female student, which have reportedly been perceived as inappropriate and religiously sensitive, purportedly indicating towards Conversion Grooming gangs and radical activities. It is further understood that these communications subsequently became the subject of a confrontation on campus involving members of the student’s family and the faculty member, followed by a formal complaint,”

To safeguard the inquiry from procedural interference, the signatories urged the immediate preservation of all relevant physical and digital documentation:

“Given that some of the concerns relate to electronic communications and events occurring on campus, we respectfully request that all potentially relevant records be preserved in accordance with applicable law and University policy. This may include, where legally permissible and relevant: Electronic communications and associated records; Records relating to Student Council and institutional appointments; Relevant administrative correspondence; Campus CCTV footage and other available security records; and any other material that may reasonably assist an impartial inquiry,”

In addition to demanding institutional transparency regarding Dr. Afaq, the representation highlighted separate concerns regarding the hiring, institutional vetting, and background verification of another faculty member, Saqib Rasool Bhat. The document notes that Bhat served “as a faculty member in International Law and was understood to have been serving during a probationary period” and shared a “close professional association with Assistant Professor Ahmar Afaq.”

The representation further points to issues concerning Bhat's institutional influence and ideological past:

“It has also been represented to us that Mr. Bhat had a close professional association with Assistant Professor Ahmar Afaq. In view of the concerns separately raised regarding the conduct and institutional influence of Mr. Afaq, the nature and extent of such professional associations may reasonably warrant examination as part of a broader and impartial institutional review,”

The signatories continued:

“Concerns have further been raised regarding Mr. Bhat’s previous academic and public activities, including allegations of involvement in forms of ideological or political activism that some members of the academic community consider inconsistent with the University’s expectations of neutrality, inclusivity, and a responsible academic environment. There are also concerns that views or communications perceived by students as being hostile towards India or inconsistent with the University’s institutional ethos may have been expressed or promoted within the academic environment,”

Earlier Controversies Associated with Symbiosis Law School Nagpur

The ongoing inquiry follows previous controversies that have placed Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, in the spotlight in recent years.

In May 2025, the university administration suspended final-year student Isha Kumari after she was located in a hotel room alongside Rejaz M. Sydeek, an independent journalist and political activist from Kerala. Sydeek was arrested by security agencies and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after posting messages on Instagram opposing Operation Sindoor, a counter-terrorism operation executed by the Indian Armed Forces against militant camps situated in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Furthermore, official reports noted that Sydeek had publicly condemned government operations targeting armed Naxalite groups.