Teacher places on record video footages, CAT seeks response in 2 weeks
JAMMU ،AUGST ,22 :
A Jammu Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) headed by Member (J), Suresh Kumar Monga while taking serious note of a fresh Miscellaneous Application (M.A. No.772/2023) moved by the aggrieved teacher placing on record the video footages of the protest demonstrations/ interviews on the streets of Batote, on the National Highway and in school premises of Govt. Higher Scondary School, Batote, given to the Web News Portal allegedly engineered by the Principal GHSS Batote Dev Raj Bhagat wherein the alleged protesters were raising slogans containing defamatory and derogatory content against the aggrieved teacher and in favour of the Principal GHSS Batote.
When this matter came up for hearing Advocate Supriya Chouhan appearing for the aggrieved teacher pointed out that despite the express directions of this Hon’ble Tribunal, the magisterial enquiry has not been conducted into the allegations of sexual harassment against the delinquent Principal GHSS Batote, Dev Raj Bhagat nor any reply has been filed by the Education Department meaning thereby the delinquent Principal is being shielded by the senior officers of the Education Department.
Advocate Supriya Chouhan vociferously argued that after the cognizance of serious allegations of sexual advances was taken by this Hon’ble Tribunal, the Principal GHSS Batote, Dev Raj Bhagat started a vilification campaign through web news portals by organising protests through innocent school students and few inhabitants of Batote thereby further damaging the reputation and dignity of the aggrieved teacher. Advocate Chouhan further pointed out that the aggrieved teacher has filed a fresh miscellaneous application(M.A. No.772/2023) placing on record the video footages showing as to how the delinquent Principal, GHSS Batote managed local as well as national news portals and social media platform to garner support in his favour and to further tarnish the image of the applicant teacher.
Advocate Supriya Chouhan strenuously argued that till date no action has been taken against the delinquent Principal and he continues to serve in the same institution at GHSS Batote and engineering propaganda against the lady teacher.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Supriya Chouhan, the Jammu Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal headed by Member (J), Suresh Kumar Monga took serious note of the matter and directed AAG Sudesh Magotra and AAG Rajesh Thapa appearing for the Education Department to file their response to the miscellaneous application within a period of 2 weeks.
At this stage, AAG Sudesh Magotra appearing for the Education Department submitted that the magisterial enquiry is in progress and its findings will be placed on record on the next date of hearing. The bench on the request of AAG Sudesh Magotra and AAG Rajesh Thapa granted two weeks further time to file their respective written statements to the original application.
Looking into the importance of the matter, the bench directed its registry to Re-notify the present case on August, 30, 2023.