06 June,2017 11:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Asif Rizvi
The child's mother complained to the police saying the incident happened around four months ago; cops, who are waiting for medical report, say the accused is abroad
Representational Pic
The MIDC police have booked one of the founders of a posh Andheri school for allegedly sexually assaulting a three-year-old student, after her parents lodged a complaint. The complainant - the child's mother - has told the police that the incident took place about four months ago.
The co-founder and a faculty at the well-known institution has been booked under the stringent Protection Of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Parental probe
The girl's parents alleged that they suspected something was wrong when they noticed a change in her behaviour and the fact that she was having difficulty in sitting and walking. They tried to get out of her what was wrong, but she didn't say anything. Her mother then asked her if anyone had 'harmed' her or 'touched her inappropriately', but the girl appeared scared, presumably unable to understand what had exactly been done to her. Her mother then opened the school's website and started showing her pictures of everyone associated with the school. During that exercise, she pointed to the photo of the co-founder, her parents said.
They then went to the school and tried to speak to the administration staff regarding the incident; the latter, however, denied anything like that happening in the school or with the child. On May 18, the parents brought the matter to the notice of the police, who then registered an FIR under sections 376 (2) (I) of the Indian Penal Code and 4, 6 and 10 of the POCSO Act.
Deputy commissioner of police (zone X) Navinchandra Reddy told mid-day, "We are waiting for the medical report. The accused is out of the country at the moment. His statement will be recorded once he is back in the coming days."
PTA pressure
The police have also booked the class teacher on the allegation that the teacher did not intervene when the child was allegedly being sexually assaulted in the school.
A Parent-Teacher Association meeting was held yesterday, where the matter of children's safety was raised and the MIDC police was once again asked to prioritise investigations in the case, sources said.
The police have found out that the co-founder, a Frenchman, has been living in India for over 25 years now and is married to an Indian. Sources added that the police were able to contact his wife, who has refuted the allegation.
Attempts to reach the other founder of the school remained unsuccessful.
