Chargesheet filed against PSBB teacher Rajagopalan in POCSO court

Rajagopalan was accused of sexual harassment by several students of PSBB KK Nagar, kicking off several #MeToo allegations against school teachers in Chennai
Rajagopalan PSBB Teacher accused of sexual harassing students
Rajagopalan PSBB Teacher accused of sexual harassing students
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A chargesheet has been filed against PSBB KK Nagar teacher Rajagopalan at a POCSO court in Chennai. Rajagopalan, a commerce teacher at the school, was accused of sexual harassment by several students in May this year. The allegations included sending inappropriate messages to children, coming to online classes half naked, and making obscene comments at the students. At least seven students have given detailed statements to the police regarding the kind of harassment they have faced from the teacher. 

Following the complaints, Rajagopalan was arrested by the Chennai police, after a current and former student lodged formal complaints with the police, and an FIR was registered under sections section 11 and 12 (Sexual harassment of children) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. He was also charged under sections 354(A) (Sexual harassment) and 509 (Insulting modesty of woman) of IPC and sections 67 (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) and 67A (Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. 

Rajagopalan was lodged in the Puzhal jail. Additionally he was charged under the Goondas Act to prevent him being able to leave prison. On June 5, a special POCSO court in Chennai refused to grant bail to Rajagopalan. According to reports, seven former and current students have filed complaints against the teacher, which have been mentioned in the chargesheet.

When the allegations against Rajagopalan first surfaced through Instagram posts of a former student who acted as a whistleblower, no action was taken against the teacher by the school authorities. PSSB took cognizance of the complaints only after over 1000 alumni members added pressure demanding action. Rajagopalan was suspended in May after several politicians too voiced their concerns about the lack of action. DMK’s Kanimozhi, Dayanidhi Maran and Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Congress MP Jothimani and PMK’s Ramadoss made statements demanding justice in the matter. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran had also written to the Union Minister for Education seeking appropriate investigation into the matter and to probe lapses in the mechanism that is there to address similar issues.

The PSBB case against Rajagopalan triggered a series of allegations against school teachers in Chennai by current and former students.Additional investigations were carried out by the Education department and the Tamil Nadu Child Welfare Committee. The chargesheet has been filed by the Ashok Nagar All Women's Police Station.

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