A fast-track court in Noida has delivered a significant verdict, sentencing an assistant professor from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur to a decade of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a former student. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the convict, Vivek Vijay Vargia.
The Crime and The Court's Verdict
On Monday, December 1, 2025, Additional Sessions Judge Priyanka Kumari found Vivek Vijay Vargia guilty of raping a 35-year-old woman in 2019. The court dismissed the defense's arguments and upheld the prosecution's narrative, leading to the stern sentence. The judgment emphasized the credibility of the evidence presented.
The case dates back to June 6, 2019, when the survivor filed a complaint at a Noida police station. She stated that Vargia, who was 45 at the time, assaulted her at the GAIL guesthouse in Noida's Film City area. She had gone to meet him regarding a potential job opportunity.
Rejecting the Defense and Establishing Guilt
The court's order addressed key points of contention. It specifically rejected the accused's claim about a delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR). The judge noted that testimony revealed police arrived promptly at the scene, and the formal registration delay occurred at the station level, not due to any hesitation from the victim.
Furthermore, the judge dismissed Vargia's assertion that the woman never visited the guesthouse. The court relied on cumulative and consistent evidence from prosecution witnesses to establish his presence and involvement beyond a reasonable doubt. The evidence supported that Vargia had called the woman to the guest house under the pretext of a job discussion, where the assault took place.
Background of the Accused and The Survivor
Vivek Vijay Vargia was a faculty member in the mathematics department at IIT Jodhpur from February 2009 until December 2024. His professional standing added a layer of gravity to the case. His connection with the survivor went back years.
He had first taught the woman briefly in the year 2000. They reconnected in 2011 when she took up a contractual job at IIT Jodhpur in February of that year and was seeking better career prospects. This prior acquaintance formed the context of their meeting in 2019.
Legal Proceedings and Arrest
Following the complaint on June 6, 2019, the Noida police acted swiftly. Vargia was arrested the very next day, June 7, from Noida's Sector 16 metro station. The investigation progressed, and the police filed a chargesheet in the case on September 25, 2019, paving the way for the trial.
The trial, held in a fast-track court, concluded with the conviction on November 27, 2025, and the sentencing was announced shortly after. The court's firm stance in crediting the survivor's testimony and the police's evidence marks a crucial point in the legal process.
This case highlights the judicial system's handling of crimes involving individuals in positions of authority and trust. The sentence of ten years of rigorous imprisonment sends a strong message regarding the consequences of such grievous offenses.
