HC refuses to cancel bail of Kallakurichi school staff

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to initiate suo-moto proceedings against the issuance of a bail order for the Kallakurichi private school's chairman/correspondent, his wife, who is the secretary of the school, the principal, and two teachers.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Krishnakumar passed the direction when advocate B Rathinam made a mention before the bench. The advocate recalled a representation made by him with the signs of 70 other advocates.

In his representation, advocate Rathinam noted that bail should not be granted for Kallakurichi private school management people, the principal and two teachers as the investigation in the mysterious death of a Class 12 girl student and the subsequent violence is not over. The lawyer pointed out that the judgment of a single judge declaring that the schoolgirl died only of suicide should be set aside.

The advocate further asked the judges today to take suo-motu cognizance to cancel the bail given to the people connected with the school.

However, the ACJ observed that the court has been receiving hundreds of representations from so many people and it cannot initiate suo-motu proceedings on every representation. The court also insisted to advocate Rathinam that it will consider the representation.

On July 13, a Class 12 girl studying in a private school at Kaniyamoor of Kallakurichi district mysteriously lost her life. Days after her death, a protest was conducted near the school premises and the same spurt into violence.

The police arrested school correspondent Ravi Kumar, Secretary R Shanthi, principal Shiva Shankaran and teachers Hari Priya and Krithiga.