School covers up for absconding priest, says student lying

School principal Babubhai Jadeja said, ‘‘I do not know why the boy left without informing anyone, but I am sure Madhavswami, who is about 70, has not harmed him.’’ He added, ‘‘Not a single word said by him is true.’’ But he fumbled for an answer when asked why the boy would lie.

Medical Superintendent of Sir T Hospital M.P. Singh maintained Sukha was sexually abused. Acting SP of Bhavnagar H.C. Parmar, who met Sukha at the hospital, also said, ‘‘The boy is not lying. He appears innocent and is under severe physical and mental trauma.’’

According to the boy’s parents, the students were often called by the priest to massage his legs. On June 29, Madhavswami had called the boy into his room for the same reason, Naran said.

However, Jadeja denied the allegation. ‘‘I have never allowed students to leave the school or hostel building. The priest too has never asked for the service of the students’’.

Surprisingly, though the boy left the Yogidham campus without informing anyone, school authorities never tried to find out the reason. When the principal was asked why action was not taken against the boy if he left the campus without permission on June 29, he said: ‘‘The very next day, I spoke to his father who said he was at home.’’ However, Naran said he was out of station and met his son two days after the incident.

The main priest, Nirmal Swami, too maintained that nothing had happened in the campus. Asked why Madhavswami was hiding, he said: ‘‘Madhavswami left without informing anyone. I don’t know where he is.’’ That Madhavswami is missing does not mean he is guilty, said Nirmal Swami. Asked about the moral responsibility of the institution, he said: ‘‘He would be sacked if convicted’’.

Another parent, whose son is a friend of the boy, said sensing anger in Bharwad community following the Sukha episode, the institution has offered fee exemption for other Bharwad students studying there. President of Vigyan Jatha, Jayant Pandya, who had taken up the issue, said, ‘‘Three other parents came to me and complained about similar incidents which happened earlier.’’ Acting SP Parmar said, ‘‘Other children, too, could have been sexually abused, but most parents are unwilling to file complaints.’’