Mohali ITI teacher terminated for blackmailing girl students

Though it took over two years to act, a teacher at ITI (women) in Phase 5, SAS Nagar, was terminated from the duty for blackmailing students and harassing them with friend requests.

Though it took over two years to act, a teacher at ITI (women) in Phase 5, SAS Nagar, was terminated from the duty for blackmailing students and harassing them with friend requests.

Ravinder was accused of forcing the students for establishing friendship and threatening them with less marks in assessment as well as low attendance if they fail to form the friendly relations with him. (Illustration by DaljeetKaur Sandhu)

In an order issued, MP Arora, director, technical education and industrial training, Punjab has terminated the services of Ravinder Singh, computer and hardware instructor. The order said, “Ravinder Singh, with his conduct has brought shame to noble profession of teaching.”

Ravinder had joined the institute as instructor in August 2007 on contract, whose services were regularised in July 2011 and in April 2014 was made permanent. In the same year, the principal of the institute had forwarded a complaint to the department regarding Ravinder’s behaviour.

Ravinder was accused of forcing the students for establishing friendship and threatening them with less marks in assessment as well as low attendance if they fail to form the friendly relations with him.

He was also accused of blackmailing students in the name of providing notes.

A three-member committee was constituted to probe the accusations. The panel, in its report, indicted Ravinder for “inappropriate behaviour, blackmailing, using inappropriate language while chatting with students on Facebook”.

Following that, he was chargesheeted in March 2015 as the committee had sought strict action against him.

Another two member committee looked into the allegations which gave report in March 2016 to the department, on basis of which the services were terminated.

Ravinder Singh when contacted on the phone said, “The allegations are totally baseless and I have been targeted. I will challenge the decision in the court.”