The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly raping and blackmailing a 15-year-old girl who took private tuitions from him in south Delhi’s CR Park area for almost three years even as the grisly crime sparked outrage among residents and former pupils.
On Wednesday, the minor’s father approached the police, alleging that the accused was blackmailing, mentally harassing, and sexually assaulting his daughter since 2022, when she was in Class 8 and started taking private tuitions from him.
The accused taught science and mathematics to school students from his home, where the alleged crimes took place.
“The minor came to us with her father and reported she had been attending the classes since 2022. She alleged that the accused raped her multiple times over these years and also threatened her. Based on her complaint and a medical examination, we arrested the accused and sent him to judicial custody,” said deputy commissioner of police (south) Ankit Chauhan.
Police said the accused was not cooperating and has been sent to judicial custody at present. He will interrogated later, they said.
The accused was booked under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative assault on minor) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and Section 64 (rape) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The minor’s father said that he found out about the incident in December 2024 but didn’t approach the police then due to his daughter’s board exams.
In the south Delhi colony, there was anger and disbelief over the crime.
“My son is in Class 10 and was attending the classes till last month. We were in touch with him till last week. I paid him fees and we spoke. My elder son also studied at his house for two-three years. We can’t believe what the child (minor) must be going through,” said a woman, whose two children studied at the centre.
“I won’t send my son now. I just feel angry that this all happened and we didn’t know anything,” she added.
A college graduate, who lived near the victim’s house and studied at the tuition centre, said his fees had gone up from ₹2,000-2,500 from ₹1,500 per month in 2020. “He gets a lot of students. He doesn’t have a child. His wife usually stays outside and his parents are old. His aunt and other relatives also live in the same building,” the student said.
According to the first information report, a copy of which was accessed by HT, the minor said the accused raped her multiple times at his tuition centre, physically abused her, and manipulated her against her parents. “He used to mentally harass me and physically abuse me. He raped me multiple times at his tuition place and manipulated me against my biological parents. He blackmailed me, saying if I told anyone, he would beat me,” the FIR said.
The minor also detailed the mental trauma she endured, stating that the accused would humiliate and insult her whenever she objected to his actions. “(He) created a huge mental pressure which disturbed me badly from my academics and also my personal life… he was… raping me multiple times and beating me badly. He also used to threaten me… that I will suffer everywhere,” said the 15-year-old in the FIR.
A senior police officer, asking not to be named, said the minor was too scared to report the abuse earlier due to threats and manipulation. “The accused told her that her parents would abandon her and that society would ostracise her. He emotionally blackmailed her to keep her silent,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
Near the house of the accused, neighbours said the family lived there for decades and that he got married six or seven years ago. “His wife works at a private firm and he stays at home where he teaches students from Class 8 to Class 10. He is a known science and maths teacher in the area. Most of the kids from a neighbouring colony have either studied at his place or currently study at his place. Earlier, he used to go to Kalkaji and taught at some centres,” said a neighbour, requesting anonymity.
A second neighbour said he saw at least 10 students (both male and female) coming to the house of the accused everyday (in batches). “I think at least 10-15 students studied there. He (accused) has been teaching for 7-8 years. We have not heard of any previous complaints before. This was shocking. The police came and took him while his family members were asking police questions about the case. He (accused) was quiet and cooperated with them,” said the neighbour, who is a homemaker and requested anonymity.
At the colony, multiple families expressed shock. Some young people said they were former students of the accused.
At the colony, there were also young college students, who claimed they were former students of the accused. “I didn’t keep in touch with the teacher after I cleared my 10th board exams.…He was always strict but we didn’t think this could happen. I feel scared that more than half of my friends and neighbours are his students,” said a 20-year-old woman, requesting anonymity.
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