Arrests follow Bombay High Court’s criticism of inaction by authorities in response to the assault on two four-year-old girls

In a significant turn of events, two trustees of a school in Badlapur, Thane, were arrested on Wednesday by a special investigation team (SIT) following a high-profile sexual assault case involving two four-year-old girls. The arrests come just a day after the Bombay High Court questioned the authorities about their inaction regarding other suspects in the case.

The trustees, Uday Kotwal (60), the chairman, and Tushar Apte (57), the secretary of the school trust, were apprehended in Karjat, Raigad district, and will be presented before a special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court in Kalyan on Thursday.

The assaults, committed by a school cleaner named Akshay Shinde on August 12 and 13, were reported to the school principal by the victims’ parents. However, after being informed of the incidents, Kotwal and Apte failed to take immediate action, leading to their inclusion in two separate FIRs at the Badlapur East police station. Under the POCSO Act, non-reporting of sexual assault against minors is a punishable offence. Investigators also discovered that CCTV footage from the school between mid-July and mid-August had been tampered with, further complicating the case.

The public outcry has been significant, with protests erupting at the Badlapur railway station where citizens demonstrated against the school’s response to the allegations. Many blocked train services to Mumbai in a show of anger and solidarity with the victims.

In their pre-arrest bail pleas, Kotwal and Apte claimed they only learned of the sexual assaults during police inquiries and argued that they had acted promptly upon receiving the information on August 16. However, the Bombay High Court rejected their pleas, citing a lack of adequate action and accountability from the school authorities after the assaults were reported. Justice R.N. Laddha’s single-judge bench noted the necessity for accountability amidst the public protests.

In a concerted effort, the SIT collaborated with the Thane crime branch to ensure the trustees’ arrest. The trustees had served on the school managing committee for 15 years, and sources indicated that the main accused, Akshay Shinde, previously worked at a family-owned farmhouse belonging to Apte.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the situation has drawn significant attention to the handling of child safety in educational institutions and the responsibilities of those in positions of authority. The community remains vigilant, demanding justice for the young victims and accountability from those responsible for their safety