Jind school principal case: Fact-finding committee headed by Haryana minister Kanwar Pal to probe allegations

Business Advisory Committee also decided not to refer the matter of allegations levelled by Dushyant Chautala against Geeta Bhukkal for probe by a sitting high court judge

Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar. Tribune photo

PTI

Chandigarh, December 19

A fact-finding committee headed by Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar will probe the allegations made in the Assembly pertaining to arrested Jind school principal's past conduct from 2005 till 2023.

The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly also decided on Tuesday not to refer the matter of allegations levelled by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala against Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal for probe by a sitting high court judge which will now be inquired by the fact-finding committee.

The assembly on Friday witnessed heated exchanges between Chautala and Bhukkal on the issue of arrest of a government school principal in Jind last month in a sexual harassment case.

Chautala had alleged in the House that the accused principal had faced similar allegations in 2005 and 2011 but had reached a “compromise” at the Jhajjar residence of Bhukkal in 2011, when she was Haryana's education minister in the Congress government, to stall the registration of an FIR.

Bhukkal had refuted the allegations as baseless. Some members also suggested the accused principal's past conduct needs to be probed.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said keeping in view the sentiments of the House, it was decided to get the matter probed by a high court judge.

But the proposal was opposed by the Congress leaders, with Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda asserting that “assembly proceedings should not be subjected to high court scrutiny”, while insisting that the Speaker and the state government can conduct the inquiry.

Later, it was decided that the BAC will take a call in the matter. On Tuesday, a meeting of the BAC of the Assembly was held here.

Later, announcing the decision of the BAC in the House, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said after the discussion, it was decided by all the members present in the BAC meeting “that the matter related to Jind school principal, which was discussed in the House on Friday and Monday, may not be referred to the high court for investigation by a sitting judge”.

The committee further decided that a fact-finding committee under the chairmanship of Education Minister may be constituted by the Speaker “to investigate the said matter related to the principal for the period from 2005 to 2023 for all incidents mentioned, discussed in the House in its sitting on December 15”.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Chief Minister Khattar said a five- member committee under education minister will conduct the probe now which will include the allegations made by Dushyant.

Hooda on Monday said his party has given a breach of privilege notice to the Speaker against Dushyant Chautala, claiming the JJP leader levelled false allegations against the Congress member, but after the decision on setting up a fact-finding committee the party did not proceed with the move.

Hooda had alleged that false allegations had been made against Bhukkal.

“Assembly proceedings should not be subjected to high court scrutiny,” the former chief minister had said in the House on Monday.

“I am demanding that the House's dignity be maintained. It has never happened that a sitting high court judge has been asked to inquire into the proceedings of the House,” Hooda had said.

The accused principal was last month booked under various provisions of the law, including sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.