Newspaper report sparks teacher FIR, Madhya Pradesh High Court quashes cheating case

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed a cheating FIR against a government school teacher who was accused of arranging for someone else to teach in his place. The decision came after a newspaper report on November 18, 2024, sparked an official inspection. The teacher, Roop Singh Chadar, was suspended on the same day and subsequently a criminal case was registered.

However, the court held that the allegations did not establish essential ingredients of cheating, stating that continuing the proceedings would be an abuse of the judicial process. The case began with a newspaper report alleging that Vikram Singh Lodhi was teaching in Chadar's place. An inspection followed, leading to an official inquiry which found Lodhi not guilty.

Chadar was exonerated in the departmental inquiry, but his services were later terminated due to the pending criminal case. The High Court noted that the departmental inquiry had failed to prove the main allegation, and Chadar had already been exonerated of the principal allegation. The court concluded that continuing the criminal proceedings would serve no useful purpose.