Mumbai: An Andheri international school’s 57-year-old founder-director was arrested on Tuesday by the Meghwadi police, six months after a case was registered against him for allegedly raping a three-year-old minor in November last year.
The arrest has been made under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Bombay high court had recently pulled up the police for its “cavalier approach” towards the probe and asked it to re-investigate the case. Sources said the medical test would be conducted again for a fresh probe. The accused will be in police custody till November 14.
Police sources said that after the fresh probe was started on Monday, the case was transferred from the MIDC police to Meghwadi police in Andheri. After the case was transferred, the Meghwadi police arrested the accused founder-director, Patrick Brillant, for allegedly raping a three-year-old minor.
The police has booked the accused under sections 4, 8 and 11 of the POCSO Act.
Navinchandra Reddy, deputy commissioner of police, zone 10, said, “The arrest was made on Tuesday morning, and the investigation is underway. The role of the female class teacher is being probed, and the arrest will be made if she is found guilty.”
The incident took place in November last year and came to light in May this year after the victim’s mother saw unusual behaviour in her daughter. When the mother asked her daughter, the victim said that a male teacher at the school was touching her inappropriately.
The accused will be kept in police custody till November 14.
Case timeline
- Nov. 2016: The three-year-old minor was allegedly escorted to the director’s cabin by her female class teacher, where the accused allegedly raped her.
- May 18: The mother lodged a complaint against the accused, accusing him of raping her daughter.
- July 15: The accused, the founder-cum-director of the school, returned to the country.
- Nov. 1: Bombay HC ordered cops to reopen the case.
- Nov. 7: The accused was arrested.
