A Mumbai court has granted bail to a 40-year-old school teacher who was arrested last month for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male student. Special Judge Sabina Altaf Malik of the Mumbai Sessions court directed the teacher's release upon the execution of a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one or more solvent sureties of the same amount.
The teacher, who was employed at a prominent school in the city, was booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Juvenile Justice Act. The arrest followed a complaint filed by the boy's parents, who alleged that the teacher had engaged in sexual acts with their son at various five-star hotels and in her car between January 2024 and February 2025. The police claimed that the teacher admitted to being "really in love" with the boy.
In her bail application, the teacher claimed that the case was fabricated and filed at the behest of the boy's mother, who disapproved of their relationship. The teacher argued that the boy was deeply affectionate and emotionally attached to her, and that his parents were aware of their relationship. The teacher presented handwritten notes from the boy referring to her as his wife. The special POCSO court noted that the boy was over 16 years of age and stated that their relationship was consensual.
The teacher's lawyers, Neeraj Yadav and Deepa Punjani, argued that their client had no prior criminal record, had cooperated with investigators, and posed no flight risk. They also submitted medical records relating to her minor daughter to support her request for bail. The court considered the fact that the accused is a mother of two minor children while granting relief.
The court has set several conditions for the teacher's bail. She must submit proof of both permanent and temporary residence, along with identity proof and contact details of two known persons residing in Mumbai. She is also required to appear for trial on every date of hearing and is barred from leaving Mumbai's jurisdiction without the court's permission. The teacher has been ordered to have no contact with the boy.
The teacher's bail plea also pointed out that an accomplice, allegedly involved in persuading the minor to meet the accused, had not been charged, which the plea stated reflected a biased investigation.
