The Pune police have arrested the principal of an English medium school for ‘covering up’ for his vice-principal, who allegedly molested seven girls over the past one year, by giving false evidence and resorting to forgery.
The principal was taken in the custody of the Lohegaon police after the latter invoked the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against him.
“We arrested him [the principal] for not reporting the matter to the police. He also tried to forge a letter stating that the girls were not sexually abused, claiming it had been signed by girls’ parents,” said Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
On November 19, the Airport police had nabbed the 30-year- old vice-principal of a school in Lohegaon on charges of sexually abusing seven girls studying in classes VII and VIII. The arrested vice-principal, who taught moral science, had been abusing the students several times in the past year.
The principal had questioned the arrest of his deputy, following which the police served him a notice directing him to explain why he protested the police’s action.
“In response, the principal produced a forged letter, allegedly signed by a number of parents denying the incidents to have taken place. We discovered that the letter was forged and have booked the principal under section 195 A of the Indian Penal Code and section 21 of the POCSO Act,” said Mr. Patil.