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 who was sacked following allegations of molesting girls in his class.

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

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

On December 4, the high court ordered the teacher’s reinstatement within seven days and a fresh probe by the commissioner within three months.

Five girls 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 asked nine teachers to conduct an inquiry.

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

The school sacked the teacher after that.

The commissioner said: “Prima facie, Pal is 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.”

The Central Administrative Tribunal upheld the sack order.

“The conduct of the teacher is below dignity and therefore the decision to dispense with regular inquiry and deny cross examination are legal,” the tribunal had said.

The high court, however, said the commissioner had to take a fresh look into whether it was a fit case for “summary inquiry”.

Principal in hospital: Police

Police said Subha Narayan, the principal of a Durgapur ICSE school who was accused of setting her domestic help on fire, had got herself admitted to a Calcutta hospital.

Subha is also being tried for abetting her previous maid’s suicide.