New Delhi, March 4: The Supreme Court has stayed a Calcutta High Court order directing the reinstatement of a music teacher of a central school in Farakka who was sacked following allegations that he had molested some girls in his class.

A two-judge bench has also issued notices to the Bengal government and the teacher, Rathin Pal, who taught music in Kendriya Vidyalaya, NTPC, Farakka.

The bench was acting on an appeal filed by the commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan against the high court order.

The high court had, in an order passed on December 4, 2007, directed that Pal be reinstated within seven days and a fresh inquiry into the episode be conducted by the commissioner within three months.

The school had earlier sacked the teacher after a summary inquiry by an education officer.

Five girl students had complained that the teacher often called them into the classroom and molested them on the pretext of teaching them how to play the harmonium.

After receiving the complaint, the principal had initially asked nine teachers, including women, to conduct an inquiry.

The teachers conducted a hearing and found that the complaints of the students tallied with their depositions. The report was forwarded to the regional office of the Sangathan in Calcutta.

A summary inquiry was held by the local education officer and the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya Garden Reach, Calcutta, and they blamed the teacher of “moral turpitude”.

The commissioner of the Sangathan had held that it was not advisable to go in for a regular inquiry.

“It is evident that... Pal is prima facie guilty of exhibition of immoral sexual behaviour towards the girl students of Class V… this is not a situation where it is expedient to hold a regular inquiry as it will cause serious embarrassment to the students and parents and... vitiate the atmosphere of the school… hence the procedure prescribed for holding an inquiry in accordance with the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, is dispensed with,” the commissioner had recorded.

He accordingly directed that termination orders be issued to the teacher and all his dues be paid to him.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had subsequently upheld the order, but following an appeal by the teacher, the high court had struck it down.