Pocso cases: Karnataka HC refuses to quash proceedings against PE teacher

The High Court of Karnataka has refused to quash proceedings against a physical education teacher on complaints by the parents of several students accusing him of sexual harassment. Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that no parent would come forward and without any rhyme or reason register complaint that too alleging that the child has been sexually abused.

The petitioner is a physical education teacher at a school in Chikkamagaluru district. One of the colleague’s of the petitioner had submitted a report stating that he had behaved in an uncivilised manner with the girl students and had sexually harassed them. This report was submitted to the local Block Education Officer (BEO).

The BEO had made a complaint to the police and a crime was registered.

After coming to know about this report, several parents got to know about the sexual harassment against their children and registered separate crimes on different dates.

This resulted in registration of several FIRs for offences under section 354A of IPC and also under the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The matters are pending before a special court in Chikkamagaluru.

The petitioner challenged these FIRs contending that all these cases were based on a solitary incident. He also claimed that complaints were generated or brought up by luring the parents out of spite or ill-will by people who are inimical towards him in the institution.

Justice M Nagaprasanna noted: “No parent would come forward and without any rhyme or reason register complaint against the petitioner that too alleging that her child has been sexually abused. It is too far-fetched for this court, at this juncture, to even consider the said submission of the counsel for the petitioner. Spite or ill-will against him by other teachers of the institution cannot mean that those who are inimical towards the petitioner want to shoot him from the shoulder of a child through its parents. Such arguments cannot be accepted,” the court said.