37-year-old Rakesh Sorathia, a school principal from Gujarat who also holds a position in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been accused by parents of four young girl students of sexual exploitation.
Sorathia, who serves as the Principal of Rajkot's 'Saraswati Shaikshani Sankul' primary school, faces allegations of inappropriate conduct towards the students.
The complaints surfaced after a mother filed a report with Rajkot's Bhaktinagar police station, alleging that Sorathia had engaged in unwelcome physical contact with her 14-year-old daughter during private interactions. Subsequently, three more parents came forward with similar accusations concerning their daughters.
The girls in question had enrolled in the Saraswati School under the Right to Education provisions. Among them, two are aged 11, while the others are 14 years old.
In addition to his role as a principal, Sorathia had contested the last corporator election in Rajkot as an AAP candidate, albeit unsuccessfully. Upon being approached by the police following the complaints, he identified himself as an AAP leader. Sorathia is also the proprietor of the school, which currently accommodates 60 students, with 42 admitted through RTI channels.
The Rajkot police have taken Sorathia into custody under IPC Section 354 (k) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
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