Govt schoolteacher who allegedly sexually abused students denied bail

"The victims being minors, chances of threatening or infl uencing them are not ruled out if the petitioner is discharged on bail" ----- HC

S Shyam Prasad | NT

Bengaluru: Denying bail to a 36-year-old government schoolteacher, the High Court of Karnataka has said that “The victims being minors, chances of threatening or influencing them are not ruled out if the petitioner is discharged on bail.”

The HC also said that the prima facie case is made against the accused as the minor victims themselves have given statements. “I have perused the statements of the victims recorded under Section 164 of CrPC. The minor victims have stated about the heinous act committed by the petitioner. In view of the victim’s statements, there is a prima facie case made out against the petitioner,” Justice Mohammad Nawaz said while dismissing a petition filed by the teacher from Dharwad working in Raichur.

The case was registered against the accused after a complaint by the local Block Education Officer. News published in a newspaper on July 2, 2022 alleged that the Government school teacher has been sexually abusing children while giving tuition.

The BEO formed a three-member-committee which found that he would undress children while giving them home tuition. He had also videographed his crime and shared it on social media. Challenging the case in the HC, the accused’s advocate argued that the alleged crime was from 2020 and 2021 but the complaint was lodged in 2022 to harass and tarnish his image.

The court was also told that the entire allegations were false and since the investigation is completed and the charge sheet filed before the trial court, he should be released from custody. The accused was arrested on July 3, 2022 and has been in custody since then.

The government pleader objected to the bail petition and pointed out that one more complaint has been lodged against the accused by another victim under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code.

Dismissing the petition, the HC said, “The petitioner being a government schoolteacher has indulged in sexually harassing minor students while giving tuition. Such acts of the petitioner cannot be viewed lightly. As rightly contended by the learned High Court Pleader, tampering of the minor victims by the petitioner not to give evidence is not ruled out. Therefore, it is not a fit case to discharge the petitioner on bail at this stage. Accordingly, the petition is dismissed.”