Ex-principal claims school reinstated teacher accused of molestation

Fired for allegedly standing by nearly 40 Std X students who had been sexually harassed by their Algebra teacher an Andheri school principal now has to suffer the added ignominy of watching the teacher go back to work while she sits at homeThe principal is also concerned about the teacher who is out on bail harassing more students as his reinstatement is allegedly in violation of the Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences POCSO Act which states that any school staffer accused of molesting or harassing a child should be debarred from work until proven not guiltyRepresentational picShe has now written to the government against the teacherrsquos reinstatement In December last year some Std X students of Sheth M A High School in Andheri had approached the then principal Sherly Paul complaining that their Algebra teacher Yogesh Mukkal Yadav had sexually harassed themldquoAs the principal of the school and a parent I took into consideration complaints by over 40 students that they had been sexually harassed by their Algebra teacher I filed an FIR against Yadav at the D N Nagar police stationrdquo said Paul After speaking to some students the police arrested Yadav the same month and charged him under the POCSO Act He was remanded in judicial custodyTerminationIn her letter to Education Minister Vinod Tawde Paul has claimed that the school meanwhile terminated her employment on official grounds after making false allegations against her and that she was actually fired for fighting for the rights and safety of her studentsAccording to the allegations made by the school management against Paul many teachers had signed a petition saying they were harassed by the principal and that they doubted her administrative knowledgeldquoIt was clear that these teachers were forced to sign the petition as some of the teachers told me that in private An inquiry was conducted where I cooperated fully only to be insulted every timerdquo added Paul in her letter She received her termination letter on July 14 stating that all the charges against her had been proved true in the inquiry and she was asked to leave that very dayReinstatementYadav meanwhile was granted bail on April 29 and he was reinstated on November 14 ldquoWhatrsquos wrong here is that before the court could give us a clear understanding of whether the allegations made against him are true or false the school already hired him againAnd with most of the Std X students who had complained already having finished their schooling no one is ready to speak against the teacher or the managementrdquo said a parent on condition of anonymity ldquoItrsquos really sad that our students have to once again put up with this man as the school management has reinstated himrdquo said PaulThe other sideWhen midday contacted the school management a spokesperson said that they have followed all the rules and regulations ldquoThe former principal was asked to leave after a proper inquiry was conducted and all charges were proved against herThe inquiry committee report clearly stated thisrdquo said the spokesperson Asked why the Algebra teacher had been reinstated even before the case was over the spokesperson said ldquoThis matter is in court and it is an internal matter We cannot comment on the samerdquo