New Delhi, July 4 (IANS): The HRD ministry on Saturday asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to look into the case of alleged sexual harassment of a research scholar by a St.Stephen's College lecturer. It also asked for an impartial inquiry by the institute's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

"The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry decided to step in the wake of the girl expressing apprehensions about the action being taken by the institute's ICC," ministry official told IANS.

The ministry had earlier decided against intervening in to the matter saying it was being handled by the ICC as per the Supreme Court guidelines.

In the FIR lodged on June 19, the doctoral student said Satish Kumar, an assistant professor and the college's bursar, had "sexually assaulted" her on October 15, 2013, inside a laboratory.

The Delhi High Court on July 3 had put the arrest of Satish Kumar on hold till August 17. The girl had also released audio clips wherein the principal Valson Thampu allegedly asked her to withdraw her complaint. She had also demanded Thampu's resignation.