Prayagraj High Court Questions STF's Action in School Appointment Case
The Allahabad High Court has raised serious concerns about the Special Task Force's handling of a private complaint regarding an alleged appointment based on fake documents at a school in Prayagraj. The court has now directed STF Additional Director General Amitabh Yash to appear in person or via video conferencing this Thursday.
Details of the Controversial Appointment
The case centers around Tulsi Ram's private complaint against Jai Chandra Maurya, who worked as a class fourth employee at Adarsh Madhyamik Vidyalay in Saraipeetha Shahipur, Prayagraj. Ram alleged that Maurya fabricated his date of birth documents to secure the appointment.
After the STF took cognizance of this complaint, they initiated an investigation. Based on the STF's report, the District Inspector of Schools issued a direction to withhold Maurya's post-retirement benefits. Maurya, aggrieved by this action, challenged it before the high court.
Court Expresses Dissatisfaction with STF's Explanation
During the hearing of Maurya's writ petition on January 12, Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery expressed clear dissatisfaction with the explanation provided by STF ADG Amitabh Yash through video conferencing. The additional chief standing counsel representing the state-respondents and other officers present in court failed to produce any document showing how the STF could act on a private complaint without following proper procedure.
The court pointedly asked, "If the matter is so serious, why even till date the committee of management or DIOS concerned have not taken any single step against the petitioner."
High Court Issues Multiple Directives
In response to these concerns, the court has issued several important directives:
- Notice to the manager and committee of management of Adarsh Madhyamik Vidyalay
- Notice to the school principal through the concerned Chief Judicial Magistrate
- Requirement for all parties to appear before the court on January 15
- Mandate to bring all relevant documents relating to Maurya's appointment
- Order for the complainant Tulsi Ram to remain present at the next hearing
The high court made it explicitly clear that if any ambiguity or fraud is discovered in the case, the petitioner will face appropriate legal consequences. This development highlights the court's proactive approach in ensuring proper procedure is followed in sensitive matters involving alleged document forgery in educational institutions.
