Former school headmistress sentenced to 2 years in prison

Thane, Sep 4 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a formerschool headmistress to two years of rigorous imprisonment formisappropriation of government grants. Chief Judicial Magistrate RM Kulkarni sentenced OmlataShukla (62) to two years of rigorous imprisonment last weekand slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 after she was found guilty ofmisappropriation of grants of Rs 1.84 lakh. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) AB Dhamal told thecourt that Shukla was the headmistress and supervisor of aprivate school, Saint Ulai Vidyalaya, here. The prosecution alleged that the accused had received agrant of Rs 1.84 lakh in 2001-02 from the Deputy Director ofEducation, Nashik for payment of salaries to the teachers.But, she misappropriated the fund and siphoned it off for herown benefit. Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC) education departmenthad subsequently received a complaint and a criminal case waslodged with the police in this regard. The judge observed that considering various aspects aswell as facts, the accused had committed an offence not onlyagainst individuals but the state as well in respect of salarygrant. Hence, it was necessary to take a serious view whileawarding the punishment. PTI CORR ARSRC