School principal put behind bars for ‘blackmailing, rape’ in Karachi

• Five women come forward as victims of private school head.
  
• Police recovered 25 videos from the principal's office.
• Four-member inquiry committee to probe the incident.

KARACHI: The police on Monday arrested a school principal over alleged rape and blackmail allegations. The suspect is an employee of a private school in Karachi's Gulshan-e-Hadeed area.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for District Malir Hassan Sardar, the head of the school used closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to blackmail the victims. The police have also recovered 25 such short video clips from the school principal's cellphone.

"So far, five women have come forward as victims of the suspect who is currently under investigation. We are also gathering necessary information from the victims as well," the SSP Malir added.

It is pertinent to know that the scandal emerged after an obscene video of the principal — identified as Irfan, and a female teacher circulated on the internet.

Initial investigation has revealed that the suspect coerced more than 24 teachers and staff members into having sexual relations with him.

Upon directions of Sindh Education Minister Rana Hussain the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh (DIRPIS) constituted a committee to investigate the scandal. The committee comprises of Deputy Director Qurban Ali Bhutto, Assistant Director Mumtaz Hussain Qambrani and Assistant Director Javed Akhtar.

The inquiry committee would visit the school to ascertain further details, DIRPIS Additional Registrar Rafia Javed said.

Action would be taken on the committee's findings and recommendations, she added.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Riffat Mukhtar, taking notice of the incident, has sought a detailed report from the Malir police officer on the matter.

Furthermore, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has directed Secretary School Education Sindh Ghulam Akbar Laghari to submit a comprehensive report on the incident.

The governor has also instructed Javeed Akhter Odho — Additional IGP Karachi, to take legal action against the people involved in the heinous crime, sources said.

In a statement, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has also reassured of appropriate and relevant legal action over the incident.

Last month, a woman was allegedly raped inside the x-ray room of Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi. The victim lodged a first information report (FIR) at the Waris Khan Police Station, according to which, the woman is a divorcee and had a relationship with the suspect.

The FIR said that the suspect, identified as Faizan Saeed, is a resident of Gujjar Khan. The suspect had asked the woman to come to the hospital where he allegedly took her to the x-ray room and raped her.