Ruchika's expulsion: Principal returns award

Chandigarh, Jan 12: The principal of the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, which has been accused of unfairly expelling the 14-year-old molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra in 1990, has returned the state award given to her in 2005 for meritorious contribution to city education.

On the Chandigarh administration's direction, Sister Sebestina, who was the school principal in 1990 when Ruchika was expelled, returned the award on Monday, Jan 11.

"One of the school representatives has returned the prize money, commendation certificate and medal to the concerned authority here this (Monday, Jan 12) evening," Chanchal Singh, district education officer, Chandigarh, told a news agency.

The inquiry submitted last week by sub-divisional magistrate Prerna Puri held the school, governed by the Chandigarh-Shimla diocese, guilty for unfairly expelling the teenager in Sep 1990 for fee default, a month after the former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore molested her.

Father Thomas Anchanikal, vicar-general and spokesperson for the Chandigarh-Shimla diocese alleged that the magisterial probe 'ordered by the administration was very biased'.

"Their conclusion is totally baseless and they did not possess even a single proof against the school authorities," he is quoted as saying.

"However, we do not work for awards and recognitions and sister Sebestina would continue to impart her services to the institution as usual," he informed while talking to the news agency.

OneIndia News