HM in the dock for forcing girls to lodge plaint against teachers

MADURAI: The Special Court for POCSO Act cases recently held that the harassment complaint filed by two girl students against three teachers at the government school in Varichiyur was false and that the girls were coerced by their headmaster to lodge the complaint.

On August 6, the headmaster, Hariharan, dialled childline no. 1098 and claimed he received a harassment complaint against a physical education teacher and two other female teachers from a few students. Following the intervention of the District Child Welfare Committee and the police, the teachers were booked under sections of the POCSO Act by the Karuppayurani police on the same day.

Two days later, one of the two female teachers approached South Zone Inspector General Asra Garg claiming that the complaint was false and sought a fair probe into the matter. Upon directions from Superintendent of Police R Shiva Prasad, Oomachikulam All Women Police personnel reinvestigated the case and found that the charges against the teachers were false.

Hariharan was subsequently arrested and remanded in judicial custody. He was also placed under suspension.

"Further investigation revealed that the headmaster was irked at the three teachers for skipping school monitoring committee meetings. Teachers on consolidated pay need not attend the meeting, but the HM mandated that the trio should take part in it, and they refused to do so. Due to this, he forced the students to level the allegations against them. The police have sought permission from the court to file a petition against Hariharan under section 22 of the POCSO Act, and sections 182 and 211 of the Indian Penal Code," the SP told TNIE.

Accepting the final investigation report on October 31, the Special Court for POCSO Act cases held that the complaint against the teachers was false and closed the case filed by Karuppayurani police. Hariharan had earlier come out on bail after 55 days in judicial custody.