 "The disturbing case unfolded in Mumbai where a teacher allegedly began approaching her student, whom she had once taught in Class XI. Image for Representation. Pixabay")
In a disturbing case from Mumbai, a 40-year-old English teacher at one of the city’s reputed schools has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male student multiple times over the past year, police officials confirmed.
The incident came to light after the boy gathered the courage to inform his family about what he had endured. His parents then approached the police and filed a formal complaint against the teacher.
According to a Hindustan Times (HT) report, the woman, who is married and has children, reportedly developed an interest in the student while choreographing a group dance for the school’s annual function. She is said to have started making inappropriate advances towards him from January 2024, leaving the teenager traumatised.
The teacher has since been booked under several serious charges, including provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita.
Here’s what we know about the case so far.
How a teacher ‘assaulted’ her student for a year
The disturbing case began when the English teacher allegedly began approaching her student, whom she had once taught in Class XI, police said.
At first, the teenager resisted her advances and kept his distance. But the teacher reportedly brought in a female friend, someone from outside the school, to persuade him.
According to an investigating officer quoted by HT, “The friend told the minor that relationships between older women and teenage boys were ‘quite common’ and that he and the teacher were ‘made for each other.’”
Following this, the student eventually agreed to meet the teacher.
She picked him up in a Sedan and drove to a secluded location. There, she allegedly forced herself on him. “She forcefully undressed him and sexually assaulted him,” the officer said.
Police also revealed that the teacher would often get the boy drunk before abusing him.
Over time, the student began to experience severe anxiety. Shockingly, the teacher is said to have given him anti-anxiety pills, according to a police official cited by HT.
Investigators have seized the vehicle used in the alleged crime.
A second officer told HT that the teacher later took the boy to five-star hotels in South Mumbai and near the airport. “She would get him drunk and coerce him into having sexual relations,” the officer said.
The case came to light only after the boy’s family noticed a drastic change in his behaviour. When they confronted him, he finally opened up about what had happened.
Initially, the family chose to remain silent, hoping things would end once he completed his Class 12 board exams.
But after the boy cleared his Class 12 exams earlier this year, the teacher allegedly reached out again, this time through one of her domestic staff, and asked him to meet her.
That’s when the family finally decided to approach the police and file a formal complaint.
The teacher has since been taken into custody, and her arrest has left the school community in shock.
Police said a case has been filed under sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and 17 (abolition of offences) of the Pocso Act, besides provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
What is Pocso, and can it be filed against a male victim?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, introduced in 2012, is a crucial law in India that aims to protect anyone under the age of 18 from sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation, including child pornography.
What makes this legislation particularly significant is that it is gender-neutral. This means it applies equally, whether the victim is a boy or a girl, and whether the accused is male or female.
The law was framed to address various forms of sexual offences against children and ensure that all victims are treated with sensitivity and dignity during legal proceedings.
Under Pocso, any act involving physical contact with a child that is carried out with sexual intent is considered sexual assault.
It also recognises penetrative sexual assault as a more serious offence. In such cases, the law provides stricter punishment. While general sexual assault carries a minimum jail term of three years, which may extend to five years along with a fine, penetrative sexual assault can lead to imprisonment for a minimum of seven years, which may even stretch to life imprisonment, in addition to a fine.
Importantly, because the law is gender-neutral, boys who are victims of sexual abuse have equal protection under Pocso. The same legal standards and punishments apply, helping ensure that justice is not limited by gender but is extended to every child in need of protection.
With input from agencies