Ulwe teacher in POCSO case claims she’s a victim of political vendetta

Accused is sent to judicial custody until Aug 6. Representation pic/istock

A day after the arrest of a 35-year-old school teacher from Ulwe for allegedly stripping during an online class a year ago, a twist has emerged - her advocate now claims the case is part of a political conspiracy to defame and silence the woman. The teacher has remained completely silent since her arrest under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The teacher was arrested on July 27 and initially remanded to police custody till July 30. On Wednesday, she was produced before Additional Sessions Judge P A Sane at the CBD Belapur Court, who sent her to judicial custody until August 6. Surrounded by police, the teacher did not speak during the hearing.

However, speaking outside court, her lawyer Nilofar Shaikh told mid-day, "This is not just a POCSO case - it's a politically motivated trap. My client is under extreme psychological stress and is being deliberately targeted. I have enough evidence to prove she is not the accused, but the victim." Shaikh added, "We will prove in court that this FIR was timed, twisted, and politically engineered."

Meanwhile, the police stand firm on their version. Investigating Officer Sindhu Munde from Koperkhairane police station confirmed to mid-day that the FIR was filed after the mother of a student found "objectionable" videos on her son's phone on July 27. However, the alleged incident dates back to nearly a year ago.

"The boy is a minor and cannot be blamed," said Munde. "The teacher is the primary accused under the POCSO Act. The investigation is ongoing." Inside the courtroom, Judge Sane asked the teacher if she had any complaints. She quietly replied, "No." According to court sources, she appeared visibly distressed, but due to her custody status and the seriousness of the charges, she refrained from saying more.

When asked when a bail application would be filed, Shaikh said, "I will inform you once it is filed. Right now, I don't have all the relevant documents, including digital evidence. Once I receive them, we plan to file for bail in two to three days."