Court gives nod for teacher's psych test
Mumbai, July 3 -- Police will carry out a psychiatric test on Thursday on an English teacher from a reputed city school, who was arrested last week for sexually assaulting a minor male student, and also later visit the institution to investigate if the accused had any more victims.
The Mumbai police on Wednesday told a special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act court that they want to carry out a psychiatric test on the 40-year-old woman. The court extended her police custody by a day. The teacher was arrested on Sunday and the court had sent her to police custody till Wednesday.
On Wednesday, she was produced before additional sessions judge. The police told the court that they wanted to carry out a psychiatric test on the woman teacher and asked for the police custody to be extended by a day.
The court allowed the request as the police had got a Thursday appointment for the psychiatric evaluation at a government hospital in South Mumbai.
"We want to carry on the psychiatric evaluation to understand her mental health so that in future she also doesn't take any benefit claiming she is mentally not fit," said A police officer, requesting anonymity. The police also told the court that they are searching for the English teacher's friend who allegedly pushed the victim to meet the teacher outside the school, where she allegedly sexually assaulted her.
"Our teams will be also visiting the school as there is talk that she was not working with the school presently. We have learnt she has resigned from the school in 2024. We want to understand what happened due to which she resigned," said the police officer quoted above.
The 40-year-old teacher, who is married and has children, taught the 16-year-old class XI student. The police complaint said that she became attracted to him during their various meetings to set up dance groups for the high school annual function in December 2023 and made her first sexual overtures in January 2024.
The boy was initially reluctant, and began avoiding her. The teacher then roped in one of her female friends-- who is not from the school-- to call him and intercede on her behalf. The friend has also been booked but is absconding, said a police officer. Police said they are also visiting medical shops to understand where she allegedly brought anti-anxiety pills, which she allegedly gave the victim when he developed acute anxiety.
"We will also be visiting the school and approach batchmates of the victim to find out if there are more victim students," said the police officer quoted above.
The English teacher will be produced before a court on Thursday again. People aware of the matter said that the teacher was with the school for three years. "The school is fully co-operating and will continue to cooperate with the police in their investigations. The school has a zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment of children," a spokesperson for the school said....
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