UP court rejects teachers' bail plea under POCSO act

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A special court here has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a school teacher in connection with a case involving slapping a Muslim student. Special Judge Alka Bharti of a court set up under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act dismissed the bail application, stating that the accused had failed to provide genuine grounds for such relief.

Earlier, the victim's lawyer, Kamran Zaidi, had opposed the bail plea, arguing that a chargesheet had already been filed against Tyagi and that there was no basis for granting anticipatory bail. The prosecution had filed charges against Tyagi under sections 323 (voluntary causing harm) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act following an investigation into a complaint lodged by the victim's father, Irshad.

The incident came to light after a video surfaced in August 2023, showing Tyagi instructing her students to slap a young Muslim boy and making a communal remark. The video surfaced online, prompting widespread condemnation and intervention from the Supreme Court.