The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a contempt notice to the Indore Police Commissioner for failing to submit a report on a disturbing incident involving the alleged strip-search of minor girls at a government school. The court’s order was issued on Wednesday by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari.
The case came to light following an event on August 2 at a government-run girls’ higher secondary school in Indore, where a teacher reportedly took at least five girls to the toilet to strip-search them after a mobile phone rang in the classroom. This action prompted the parents of the girls to file a complaint with the Malharganj police station.
Responding to a Public Interest Litigation initiated by activist Chinmay Mishra, the court on August 30 required the Police Commissioner to evaluate whether the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) were applicable to the teacher involved and to submit a detailed report within a month. However, the police commissioner’s failure to comply with this directive led to the recent contempt notice.
The court’s recent order stated, “The said order has not been complied with. Let a show-cause notice be issued to the Police Commissioner, Indore as to why contempt proceedings may not be initiated against him for noncompliance. An affidavit to this effect shall be filed within a week, and the Police Commissioner, Indore is directed to remain personally present before this Court on the next date of hearing.”
Legal action against the teacher includes charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 76 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 79 (act done with intent to insult the modesty of woman), as well as section 75 (cruelty to children) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. Despite these severe accusations, a preliminary police investigation concluded that there was no “sexual intent” behind the teacher’s actions, thus POCSO sections were not invoked.
