‘Dead’ teacher caught alive, gets 14-yr RI for minor’s rape

During the trial of the case, Niraj’s father Rajaram Modi, in April 2022, produced a forged death certificate for his son and a photograph of the funeral in the court, leading to the closure of the case.

A government school teacher from Bhagalpur district in Bihar, who managed to hoodwink the court and evade punishment after being accused of raping a minor girl student in 2018, finally ran out of luck and was sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment on Monday, a prosecutor in the case said.

The teacher surrendered before the POCSO court on October 17, 2022. (Picture for representation)

Niraj Modi, a school teacher in Pirpainty area in Bhagalpur, was booked and sentenced under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Special public prosecutor (PP) Naresh Rai told HT the incident occurred on October 14, 2018, when the girl, then aged 12 and a student of the same school where the accused was a teacher, had gone to an agriculture field to relieve herself.

During the trial of the case, Niraj’s father Rajaram Modi, in April 2022, produced a forged death certificate for his son and a photograph of the funeral in the court, leading to the closure of the case.

“However, the girl’s mother, who is also the complainant in the case, ran into the accused last year since both were residents of the same village. She then approached the court again,” the PP said.

Following a probe, the authority concerned cancelled the death certificate and the court summoned Pirpaithi police station chief on July 23 last year and ordered to re-open the case.

Finally, the teacher surrendered before the POCSO court on October 17, 2022.

The court pronounced him guilty on January 6 this year. His father Rajaram Modi is also in jail on the charges of forgery.

The special court of Lavkush Kumar also slapped a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convict and directed that the victim’s kin be paid ₹3 lakh in compensation.