Hyderabad: Police arrest Banjara Hills DAV School principal, whose driver sexually assaulted 4-year-old student for 3 months

He was sent to judicial custody for 14 days after being produced in a sessions court.

As news of the case spread, several parents on Tuesday congregated at the Banjara Hills Police Station — where the case was filed — and demanded that the principal be arrested as well.

They told South First that she had been brought to the police station at the same time as Rajani Kumar, but the cops let her go after some time.

However, South First accessed the First Information Report (FIR), which confirmed the arrest of the principal.

“The principal has been arrested and has been booked under Section 21 of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which deals with punishment for failure to report or record the case,” DCP West Zone Joel Davis told South First.

Mother saw behavioural changes

According to the police, the victim’s mother saw the behaviour of the victim in the case — a girl aged four and a half years — over three months.

Having joined the BSD DAV Public School merely five months ago, this Lower KG student told her mother she was afraid of going to school and was suffering from pain in her legs.

The police said she opened up to her mother further on 17 October, identifying Rajani Kumar as the one who had been tormenting her.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under Section 376 (AB) of the IPC and Section 5 read with Section 6, as well as Section 21 of the POCSO Act.

Principal arrested on Wednesday

Interestingly, the parents of the students told South First that Madhavi, on 18 October, put out a message to them on a social media platform that the school would be closed for around a week for the Diwali vacation.

The police late on Wednesday morning, in a press release, said that Madhavi was absconding. However, a few hours later, the cops confirmed that she had been arrested.

As per the FIR, which the police submitted to the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Nampally, Madhavi (55) came to the police station on Wednesday morning at 10.15 am and surrendered.

The FIR added that “she failed to submit her explanation and voluntarily confessed” to her crimes after the investigation. She was subsequently placed under arrest at 10.30 am.

“The entire incident took place in the school” due to the negligence of Madhavi, the FIR added.

‘Principal gave freedom to accused’

The police, in the FIR, said that the principal gave freedom to the accused to manage administrative work.

“He used to instruct teachers and also other staff to work as per instructions of the principal,” the FIR said.

The police said that the accused used to shift children from one classroom to another, but no one would interfere as he was close to the principal.

The parents also confirmed to South First that the accused used to have additional responsibilities at the school, including supervising students in a class when the teacher went out for a bit.

As per the police, after the victim’s family accosted the driver and called the police, the accused also tried to escape by jumping the school wall but fell down.

‘Principal may tamper with evidence if not arrested’

The police, in their submission to the court, stated that Madhavi might commit further offences if she was not arrested.

“If the accused person is not arrested, she may cause the evidence of the offence to disappear or tamper the evidence in any manner,” the FIR said.

It added that she might be a threat to witnesses as well, who the police are yet to examine.

As per the FIR, Madhavi might also change her residence and avoid legal proceedings if she was not arrested.