A tuition teacher and her boyfriend have been arrested by the Chennai police for sexually abusing a minor girl and blackmailing her. The accused Sanjana (28) and Balaji (38) were arrested earlier this week after the 14-year-old girl's parents complained to the police.
Sanjana was taking classes for students from classes 10-12. According to investigating officials, the 14-year-old was attending classes when Balaji came to the tuition teacher's house and befriended her. Last month, he allegedly sexually abused her in the teacher's house and warned her against informing anyone.
"But the girl went and told the tuition teacher what happened. On hearing this, the teacher who is already married took the side of her boyfriend and began to blackmail the girl," an investigating official says. "They forced the girl to bring money and jewels from her house and threatened to tell her parents that she was sexually active if she didn't give in to their demands," adds the officer.
It was finally, a few days before Diwali, that the plot unravelled. The girl's parents found money missing from their residence and when they asked their daughter, she revealed the sexual abuse and threats that had followed.
"The tuition teacher was in cahoots with Balaji and helped him exploit the girl. They have both been arrested under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act," says the investigating official.
Multiple reports meanwhile suggest that Balaji and Sanjana had victimised more children by videographing them while they abused them or by making the students indulge in sexual activities and taking videos of them. The police however denies the allegations.
"There were no other students involved. It was just this one girl," says the official. "And there are no videotapes involved," she adds.
The couple have been reportedly booked for rape, extortion and criminal intimidation.