A French national, who is a trustee of a renowned school in suburban Andheri, accused of sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl student, was acquitted by a court here on Saturday. The 59-year-old was charged under IPC section 376 (rape) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Advocate Hitesh Buch, one of the defence lawyers, said the girl, a student of the same school, denied any wrongdoing on the part of the trustee. Medical evidence too did not support the police case, therefore special judge A D Deo acquitted him, the lawyer said. The girl's class teacher, made a co-accused for allegedly abetting the crime, was also acquitted. Ashok Gupte, the minor's lawyer, said the charges were baseless.