Bombay High Court Takes Cognisance of Alleged Sexual Assault in Badlapur School

The Bombay High Court has initiated suo motu action regarding the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls in Badlapur, Maharashtra. The incident has sparked protests, arrests, and the formation of a special investigation team. The state government has suspended school officials and police personnel for dereliction of duty.

The Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur, Maharashtra's Thane district.

A division bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan will hear the matter on Thursday.

The alleged assault by a male attendant ignited massive protests in Badlapur, prompting authorities to suspend internet services. Police said 72 people were arrested in connection with the violence. The male attendant, arrested on August 17, allegedly assaulted the children in a school toilet. His police custody was extended until August 26 by a local court.

The government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) led by senior IPS officer Arti Singh to probe the incident. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured swift action against the school, promising that the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty will be punished.

The school management has suspended the principal, a class teacher, and a female attendant, while the government has suspended three police officials, including a senior inspector, for failure to investigate the abuse promptly. Opposition parties claim that the girls' parents were made to wait 11 hours at the police station before their complaints were addressed.

(With inputs from agencies.)