NEW DELHI: Delhi L-G V K Saxena has reduced the penalty of an MCD teacher in an appeal case. The teacher, earlier awarded “Compulsory Retirement” by the MCD Commissioner, will now face a lighter penalty.
Saxena has ordered for a reduction of “one stage in the pay scale for one year, without cumulative effect” i.e. the pay of the teacher will be moved down by one level for one year and then restored to normal.
An FIR was registered against Vikram, the accused MCD teacher, after his wife alleged that he assaulted their son for failing to recite mathematical tables and became violent when confronted.
This FIR came after a prior complaint dated April 2, 2021, which was made by the teacher to the local police, wherein he has alleged harassment by his wife’s family members, the official said.
He was placed under deemed suspension till his consequent arrest. He was acquitted of all the grave charges by the court which ultimately held him guilty only for a minor offence, the officials said. However, the teacher was placed under “compulsory retirement” following his arrest in the case.
He was released on probation for good conduct without any substantive punishment.
Saxena, while hearing the appeal of the teacher, opined that considering the limited nature of the conviction, the mitigating circumstances noted by the Court and the fact that the incident arose out of a domestic dispute rather than any act involving moral depravity or corruption, the quantum of punishment, i.e., “Compulsory Retirement”, imposed upon him appears excessive and disproportionate to the nature and gravity of the established misconduct.