PANAJI
The prosecution on Tuesday indicated that the police will be compelled to implicate the school’s Committee if its members fail to cooperate with the investigation into a case of molestation involving a physical education (PE) teacher.
The school, where a 14-year-old student was molested allegedly by the PE teacher over a month back, has come under scrutiny after the victim’s parents alleged that the school authorities were reluctant to address their complaint.
It so happened, the aggrieved family said, that the victim stopped going to school and her sister followed suit.
A complaint was subsequently filed with the police alleging molestation against the PE teacher, as well as the school for purportedly shielding the matter.
During the anticipatory bail hearing at the POCSO Court, the prosecution argued that if the Committee doesn’t cooperate with the ongoing probe, they could be implicated in the case. It has also come to light that the school received similar complaints against the accused teacher in 2016, with no action taken.
The prosecution, during the hearing, further requested details of any previous complaints and inquiry reports/findings from the Committee, which must be submitted to the Court.
Meanwhile, the principal and a female teacher, who are charged with failing to respond to the victim’s complaint, are granted anticipatory bail while the accused PE teacher’s anticipatory bail hearing is scheduled for next week.
