Police probing the alleged sexual assault on at least eight children by the driver and the cleaner of their school bus in Wani village here, have arrested the president of the education society that runs the school and seized two buses.
'Swastik Bahuuddeshiya Shikshan Sanstha' president Deepak Jiwne was arrested on Friday for negligence in connection with the incident, police said.
With Jiwne's arrest, the number of persons arrested so far has reached four. Police had earlier arrested bus driver Surendra Sav, cleaner Kiran Brahmane and a woman bus assistant on the basis of a joint complaint filed by eight parents, on Friday.
Police also seized two buses in which the alleged crime was suspected to have taken place, a police officer said.
The play school consists of students from Nursery to KG-II in age group of 2.5-6 years. There are a total of 150 students in the school.
Police are also investigating the role, if any, of the lady principal and one of the female directors of the school.
At least eight children were allegedly sexually assaulted in their school bus by its driver and cleaner in presence of a woman assistant in Wani.
The next day the trio was produced before a court , which remanded them in police custody till September 11.
"We received a joint complaint from eight parents of the victims of Wani-based 'Dream Play School', alleging that their minor kids have been sexually assaulted by the driver and the cleaner for the last one month and they were assisted by the lady escort of the bus," said police sub-inspector Rakhi Gedam.
"Surendra and Kiran have been booked under sections 376/2 i (rape), 354 a (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 b (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation) and under various provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, while the assistant under section 109 (punishment of abetment) of IPC," she added.
As per preliminary investigation, Surendra and Karan allegedly sexually assaulted the children in the school bus itself while the woman assistant remained a mute spectator, police said.
Meanwhile, Wani police has written to the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Yavatmal, and the Assistant Registrar of Co-Operative Societies requesting them to disclose the names of the trustees of the school so that necessary legal action could be initiated against them too.
Jiwne said he could not lodge a complaint against the driver and the cleaner with police earlier "as the parents did not want the identity of their children to be revealed."
