Kandivli playschool abuse: Bail rejected, teachers ‘absconding’

(Left) Jinal Chheda and her assistant Bhakti Shah

The Dindoshi sessions court has rejected the anticipatory bail applications of two teachers accused of assaulting preschoolers in Kandivli and observed that they committed a heinous crime against society. While police claimed the teachers are absconding, parents accused Kandivli cops of inaction.

Jinal Chheda and her assistant Bhakti Shah, both in their early 40s, allegedly kicked and slapped toddlers in the classroom of a Rhymes and Rumbles Playschool in Kandivli West, following which their parents approached the police. The court delivered the order verbally on Saturday (April 15) and the written judgment was issued on Monday.

Parents allege inaction

The police, however, have not arrested them. Senior Inspector Dinkar Jadhav of Kandivli police said, "Our team had gone to their houses [on Tuesday] but they were not available. The teachers are absconding. Our investigations are underway." The parents alleged that the police, by not acting instantly, gave the teachers time to escape.

Also Read: Mumbai: ‘Teachers booked for assault not yet arrested'

Bhakti Shah. The teachers claimed in the court that they were ‘falsely implicated' in the case (right) Jinal Chheda

"Every time we go to the Kandivli police station, they come up with a new law to justify their inaction in the case. It was just a tactic to not act against the accused," said a woman, whose child was assaulted and the incident was caught on CCTV camera.

She added, "After the Dindoshi court rejected their bail applications on Saturday, we asked the cops to arrest them, but they said they haven't received the order. We approached them again with a copy of the order after it was uploaded on the court's website on Monday, but the cops said they need the deputy commissioner of police's signature."

"They went to their houses on Tuesday, but the doors were locked. Why are cops not arresting them?" she asked. "Don't our children deserve justice?" asked another mother. The teachers were booked under Sections 75 and 23 (punishment for cruelty to a juvenile or child) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act after multiple videos of them assaulting preschoolers went viral.

Seeking protection from arrest in the court, the teachers claimed they have been "falsely implicated". Their lawyer argued against custodial interrogation. An intervener in the case told the court that the "offence committed by the applicants is serious in nature" and the "children have been seriously affected due to the cruel treatment".

Court's observations

Rejecting the bail applications, Additional Sessions Judge N L Kale said, "The contents in FIR clearly indicates that the accused have committed the alleged cruel and brutal act with very young kids, aged about 2-4 years. Therefore, the allegations that those children suffered mental trauma due to alleged acts of the applicants [are] found trustworthy. Thus, there is a prima facie material on record to draw an inference that due to very cruel behaviour of the applicant, those children are in depression and now they are not ready to go to school." Calls and text messages to both the teachers went unanswered.

April 15
Day the court delivered the order verbally

April 02
Day the police complaint was filed