‘Sexual abuse’ of student: Complaint filed due to school politics, parents’ pressure & misunderstanding, says accused woman

In her bail application, the woman has said her work involves sitting outside the classroom and on the instructions of the teacher, taking the children to the washroom. (Representational Image) 

THE 59-YEAR-OLD woman, who was arrested on April 23 for allegedly sexually abusing a four-year old student in a south Mumbai school, has told the special court that a complaint was filed against her due to “school politics, pressure from parents and misunderstanding”. In her bail plea, moved before the court earlier this week, the woman has said that she had started working in the school in 1997.

As her grandfather was also an employee there, her family had been staying on the school campus for over eight decades, she claimed. The alleged incident had come to light when the parents of the victim overheard her speak to her cousin about being touched inappropriately in school in April. Following this, the parents approached the school and the accused was suspended. The police, which had booked the woman under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act sections pertaining to aggravated penetrative sexual assault, have claimed that the girl had identified the accused. In her bail application, the woman has said her work involves sitting outside the classroom and on the instructions of the teacher, taking the children to the washroom.

“The school and classrooms have CCTV cameras installed. The bathroom is in the classroom right in front of the teacher’s desk, which is visible,” the bail plea, filed through advocates Asif Naqvi and Yakub Shaikh, stated. “The applicant is falsely framed in the said case and this complaint/FIR has been filed in due to pressure of parents and misunderstanding,” the plea added.

It also claimed that “school politics” had led to the allegation. The plea stated that the daughter of the accused has sought CCTV footage from the school from March 1 to April 24. The court has directed the prosecution to file a reply by next week.