Female Teacher Charged with Rape of Student

(New York) Here's another teacher-student sex story but with a twist. Allegedly, a 22-year-old NYPD officer engaged in a sexual relationship with one of his teachers, Lina Sinha, at a Manhattan Montessori school starting nine years ago, when he was 13 and she was 29. The affair lasted until he was at least 17. This past week, the former student filed a criminal complaint and Sinha, 38, was charged with sodomy and rape.

Sinha was arraigned last Thursday in Manhattan Criminal Court and freed without bail on the condition that she surrender her passport. She has connections in India and is considered a flight risk. The case is scheduled for court in January.

Now, here's the twist. Sometime, presumably recently, Sinha and the former student got into an altercation and he allegedly smacked her. As a result, she filed an assault complaint. According to Sinha's lawyer, the officer retaliated by filing an underage sex complaint. So, if true, it's a case of "you complain about my behavior, then I'll complain about yours." This is a stupid game to play when there is great disparity in the gravity of the alleged crimes.

And, just to thicken the plot, the statute of limitations for the underage sex crimes expires next week. Therefore, one could speculate that the former student had been using the threat of exposure against Sinha for some time. If not, why didn't he speak up years ago?


[Update 05/31/06]

Lina Sinha charged with additional crimes.


[Update 02/27/07]

Sinha trial underway.


[Update 03/30/07]

Lina Sinha convicted. Sentencing scheduled for April 19th.


[Update 04/19/07]

Sinha sentenced to prison.