A 40-year-old English language teacher at a prominent Mumbai school has been arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male student on multiple occasions over a period of more than a year. The arrest took place on Saturday.

Case Details

Police investigations revealed that the teacher, who is married with children, developed an attraction to the Class XI student during meetings to organize dance groups for the high school annual function in December 2023. She reportedly made her first sexual overtures in January 2024.

Initially, the boy was reluctant and tried to avoid her. However, the teacher allegedly enlisted a female friend, who is not associated with the school, to intercede on her behalf. This friend reportedly told the minor that “relationships between older women and teenage boys had become quite common” and that the teacher and student were “made for each other.”

After this phone call, the student met the teacher. Police stated that she picked him up in her sedan, took him to an isolated spot, and “forcefully undressed him and assaulted him.” The police have since seized the sedan. It was also revealed that she would often get him drunk before their encounters. When the student developed acute anxiety, she allegedly gave him anti-anxiety pills.

Legal Action and Impact

The teacher has been remanded to police custody until Wednesday. A case has been registered under Sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), and 17 (abetment of offences) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, along with various sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The teacher also reportedly took the student to various five-star hotels in South Mumbai and near the airport.

The arrest has stunned the school, which is well-known and counts several celebrated personalities among its alumni.

Family’s Discovery and Subsequent Action

Several months after the abuse began, the student’s family noticed a change in his behavior and, upon speaking with him, learned about the alleged assaults. Initially, the family opted to remain silent, hoping the teacher would leave him alone, especially as he was close to graduating.

However, after the boy completed his Board exams earlier this year and left the school, he reportedly sank into depression. Matters escalated when the teacher attempted to contact him again through one of his domestic staff, requesting a meeting. At this point, the family decided to approach the police and file a case.