Nar Bahadur v. State of Sikkim
Supreme Court of India1998 INSC 240; MANU/SC/0369/1998Bench: J. G.T. Nanavati, J. S.P. Kurdukar
The Supreme Court held that teachers, doctors, and other professionals who regularly interact with children are in a position of trust and authority. They have a heightened and non-derogable duty to report any information or reasonable suspicion of child abuse to the authorities. Failure to report by such professionals is a serious breach of professional duty and public trust. This principle was later enshrined in Section 19(1) POCSO Act, which specifically names teachers, doctors, and institutions.