Relief for education baron as Bombay high court dismisses teacher's pleas

Dombivli-based education baron Shivajirao Jondhale, accused of rape and intimidation by a teacher he had appointed, got relief from the Bombay high court on Monday after the court dismissed the woman's plea alleging police inaction on her complaint and seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to Jondhale as well as Rs50 lakh compensation from him.

A division bench of justices VM Kanade and PD Kode refused to grant any of the prayers sought by her.

Advocate Aniket Nikam, appearing for Jondhale, said, "The court accepted our arguments that the complaint was false and malafide."

In her petition filed before the HC, the teacher, who is a member of a scheduled tribe, had alleged that at the time of her interview for the post of an assistant teacher in 2004, Jondhale, president of the school trust, had touched her inappropriately and kissed her.

She also alleged that Jondhale had threatened to defame her, and claimed that she was the sole breadwinner of her family and had no option but to "obey his orders".

On December 24, 2013, the police had assured the court that an FIR would be registered, her petition stated. She also alleged offences under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The teacher said the Vishnu Nagar police were hand in glove with Jondhale, as a result of which no further inquiry had been carried out.

Nikam said the police had already filed a B summary closure report before the magistrate court and if the complainant wanted she could challenge that order before a higher court.