Sexual harassment row at school: Court orders probe; principal secures interim stay

The controversy was sparked by allegations of harassment and indecent behaviour against the principal in 2023

Navi Mumbai: A sexual harassment controversy at a prominent school in the city escalated on Wednesday as the school principal secured an interim stay on a September 22 court order directing the police to register a first information report (FIR) against him.

Image for representation (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The controversy was sparked by allegations of harassment and indecent behaviour against the principal in 2023. Five teachers had accused the principal of using vulgar language and creating a hostile work environment. They had also submitted complaints against the principal to the police and the National Commission for Women.

Although a preliminary inquiry was conducted into the matter, the police did not register an FIR, the affected teachers told Hindustan Times. In October 2023, the school suspended the five teachers mid-session, and videos on social media of them crying upon being denied entry into the school prompted protests from parents and alumni. The same month, however, the principal and the school management obtained an injunction against media coverage of the teachers’ allegations, saying the complaints were due to their resistance against administrative reforms. The principal consistently denied the allegations, calling them “baseless”.

“Despite the court directive, the police did not register a case citing absence of a certified copy of the court order,” said one of the suspended teachers. The affected teachers camped overnight at the police station on Monday, and till late night on Wednesday, demanding compliance, but to no avail, the teacher added.

The lawyer representing the teachers said section 156 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure empowers the magistrate to direct police action when there’s prima facie evidence of a cognisable offence.

“The court had reviewed case laws and emphasised that serious personal allegations warranted immediate registration, not mere inquiry,” the lawyer said.

A certified copy of the court order was submitted to the police, the lawyer said, accusing them of deliberate delay.

“They had the order. We verified it with the court. Yet they refused to act,” the lawyer said.

On Wednesday, the principal filed a criminal revision application in the Belapur sessions court, securing a stay on the JMFC order. The next hearing is scheduled on November 3.

“The stay doesn’t mean the case is over,” the teachers’ lawyer said. “Hearings will now be conducted on the merits of the case. We have full faith in the judiciary.”