mumbai

Updated: Mar 26, 2019 11:43 IST

A detailed questionnaire, containing 87 questions posed to a three-year-old girl, resulted in the acquittal of a French national accused of sexually assaulting her.

The French national, who is the trustee of an Andheri school, had been accused of sexually assaulting the student with the help of a teacher in 2016. A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act court acquitted the duo earlier this month.

During her testimony before special Pocso judge, AD Deo, the girl was given a set of 87 questions. “The picture which emerges from the testimony of [the girl] clearly shows that she was never ravished by anyone in the school… It is difficult to believe that [she] who could amazingly recollect so many minute details of her days in [the school] could have a faded memory only in respect of the incident,” the judge noted.

In her deposition, the girl responded affirmatively when asked if the trustee (whom she referred to as the “boy teacher”) would come to her class and touch her private parts, and whether this was the secret between her and the woman teacher.

However, when asked whether the trustee did so after taking off her pants, she replied in the negative. She also said no when asked if the trustee would visit her classroom, take her to another classroom, and disrobe her.

Moreover, she was unable to identify either the trustee or the teacher as the perpetrators.

The case came to light in July 2017. The accused were arrested on November 7, 2017. On November 24, 2017, they were both granted bail. On April 16, 2018, the trustee was taken into custody again and had since been in jail.