CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has rejected the bail petition of a teacher in connection with the rape of a school student. The alleged incident occurred at Gyanodaya Vidyalaya under Bondamunda police limits in Sundargarh district in December 2019. Vibhutee Kumar Gupta, Principal-cum-Secretary of the school, who was accused of committing the crime had moved the bail application after the Court of First Additional District & Sessions Judge, Rourkela rejected his bail plea on March 13, 2020.
In his bail plea Gupta had contended that there was delay of 2 months and 17 days in lodging the FIR, hence it was an afterthought move. Justice SK Panigrahi dismissed his bail application on May 18, stating that “sexual abuse of students is becoming devastatingly prominent in most schools” and “a seemingly small but growing minority of perverted teachers have shaken the foundations of the teaching-learning culture by engaging in negative and improper relationships with students like the present one”.
“The contention of the petitioner which hinges on the fact that the victim took no immediate action to report to police is annoyingly insensitive towards a rape victim who continues to face significant barriers in access to justice, health care, counselling, and legal aid,” Justice Panigrahi stated.