Tamil Nadu school principal arrested in molestation case

CHENNAI - The principal of Kodaikanal Public School has been arrested for being an accomplice to school correspondent M.L. Bright who is absconding after a sexual harassment complaint filed by a Class Nine girl student, police said Friday.

“Sheeba Paul, 36, was arrested Thursday afternoon at Kodaikanal (520 km from here) and was remanded to custody. She has been lodged in Nilakottai sub-jail,” a police official told IANS over phone.

Bright, 73, has been on the run ever since the guardian of the student lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against him last month.

Three police teams have been formed to nab him.

According to Kodaikanal police, one team has gone to Kerala, another to Madurai while the third is investigating in Kodaikanal itself.

Seventeen girl students were staying at the hostel where Bright also stayed, police said. Bright’s passport has been impounded.

The school authorities, including Paul, has been maintaining that the complaint was false and the girl was instigated by her guardian to make it.