Teacher held for sexually assaulting teenage student seeks bail

MUMBAI: A 40-year-old teacher arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student seeks bail, facing serious charges under POCSO Act.

MUMBAI: A 40-year-old English teacher from a prominent Mumbai school, arrested last week for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student, has moved the sessions court seeking bail. The teacher, a married woman with children, is accused of repeatedly abusing the boy over several months, including taking him to luxury hotels in south Mumbai and near the airport.

Teacher held for sexually assaulting teenage student seeks bail

According to the police complaint filed by the teenager’s parents, the two grew close during preparations for the school’s annual cultural function in December 2023. The teacher allegedly made her first sexual advance the following month. Over time, she is believed to have taken the boy to multiple five-star hotels where, as per his statement, she coerced him into sexual encounters.

Investigators said the woman would often get the teen drunk and give him anti-anxiety medication. She is also alleged to have used a female colleague to mediate on her behalf and convince the student to meet her.

“The teacher repeatedly contacted the boy, even after he cleared his board exams and left the school. At one point, she reached out to him through a member of her household staff,” said a senior police officer.

The matter came to light after the boy’s parents noticed a sudden change in his behaviour and confronted him. Initially hesitant to report the crime, the family hoped the situation would resolve quietly after the boy graduated. However, when the teacher allegedly attempted to re-establish contact, they decided to approach the police.

The woman has been booked under sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), and 17 (abetment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. She remains in judicial custody.