Two days before Pune PhD scholar died by suicide, accused scientist submitted apology on ‘affidavit’

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When I asked her if she wants to join us, she said she would work on her thesis. Then we left..,” the father said. She was found dead in her room the same afternoon. Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT SCIENTIST A Benniamin, head, Botanical Survey of India, Pune, who was arrested on Sunday after a PhD scholar ended her life due his alleged harassment, had apologised to her over his “improper, unethical conduct and misbehaviour at workplace.” Benniamin had signed an “affidavit” in presence of a notary, two witnesses and the scholar student while submitting his apology, the family said. The father of the student was also present a little distance away. The apology was written on a Rs 500 stamp paper. In the “affidavit”, the scientist said, “I (am) giving my humble apology to Miss…about my improper, unethical conduct and misbehaviour at workplace.” He wrote: “I like to bring to this written apology that Miss…is working with me as PhD student. That she has been a sincere and capable scholar…And now she is in the last stage of completion of PhD and she is expected to submit her thesis up to May 2026.” Benniamin, in the undertaking, said, “I am sincerely apologising to Miss… about my repeated misbehaviour and unethical and improper behaviour at workplace with her. Also, I sincerely regret any situation that may have made her feel uncomfortable. I assure you that I fully respect professional and personal boundaries of mine and will maintain appropriate  and ethical conduct at workplace with her and with all other colleagues and scholars at every time.” Assuring his cooperation to the student, Benniamin said, “I also wish to confirm that I will extend full cooperation to ensure that Miss…PhD dissertation work is completed on time without any inconvenience from the department or the supervising faculty…” Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, the PhD student’s father said, “The affidavit was prepared at a notary’s office in Shivajinagar court area on Thursday, two days before my daughter died. The accused was accompanied by his driver.” The father said when he reached the court, his daughter told him for the first time about the harassment by the BSI chief.  “Before that she had never told us. She endured the nightmare all by herself, probably concerned that her thesis plan would be abrogated,” he said. The next day, the student told her father that she will visit BSI and collect all her material related to her thesis. “The BSI chief was her guide for the thesis on Botany,” he said. “Early Saturday, we had to attend the death ritual of a relative in Bhor. When I asked her if she wants to join us, she said she would work on her thesis. Then we left..,” the father said. She was found dead in her room the same afternoon. Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... 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