Allahabad HC Grants Protection from Arrest to School Teacher in Student Sexual Assault Case

Read Time: 05 minutes

Synopsis

An inquiry committee found it was the student who obtained the teacher's number during a dance competition, created fake IDs to chat and even pressured her mentally

The Allahabad High Court has recently granted protection from any coercive action to a school teacher named in an FIR filed by a student's father. The father alleges that his son was coerced into converting to Christianity by the teacher, who also pressured him to engage in sexual relations with her.

Last month, the high court extended similar relief to the school principal.

A division bench comprising Justices Rajiv Gupta and Shiv Shanker Prasad has issued notices to the respondents, requesting their counter affidavits in response to the writ petition filed by the school teacher.

Additionally, the court directed the Commissioner of Police to transfer the investigation to the cyber cell. It also sought a report on whether the child had created any fake accounts using the teacher's mobile phone or ID.

The father of the class X student alleged that a female teacher at his son's school in Kanpur, UP pressured him to engage in sexual relations and attempted to convert his son to Christianity. In the FIR, the father stated that he got to know about this while he was checking his son's phone. 

Subsequently, the accused persons shared this chat on social media without the child's permission, and it went viral on several news channels. Despite a complaint being filed with the Child Welfare Committee in Kanpur and a senior police officer, no action was taken, the father submitted. 

On the other hand, the counsel for the school teacher submitted an inquiry report conducted at the principal's direction. The inquiry was carried out by three independent individuals: a retired PCS officer, a principal from another school, and a social worker.

The inquiry concluded that during a dance competition, the student obtained the female teacher's mobile number and subsequently used it to create fake IDs. He then used these fake IDs to engage in chats and put mental pressure on her.

The counsel for the teacher alleged that when the matter was highlighted, the student started leveling allegations against the teacher. 

The inquiry report also concluded that, although the child is a minor, he is mentally strong and tends to dominate others, the counsel argued.

The matter will be next heard on July 10, 2024.

Case Title: Principal St Aloysius High School Cantt Kanpur Nagar v. State Of Up And 2 Others