A Bensalem school bus aide groped a special-needs student, police said

A school bus aide for the Bensalem Township School District groped a special-needs student and filmed the assault with his cell phone, police said Monday.

Ali Khan, 62, was charged late last week with corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault, and related crimes after the 14-year-old girl’s parents contacted police.

In a statement, interim Bensalem Township Superintendent Victoria Velazquez said Khan was removed from duty after the district was notified of the police investigation.

The district is cooperating with police and has initiated an internal investigation, she said.

Khan remained in custody, in lieu of 10% of $500,000 bail, court records show. There was no indication he had hired an attorney.

The girl told police that Khan on Thursday touched her inner thigh while she was sitting next to him on a bus heading to Bensalem Township High school, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.

Before the assault, she said, Khan blocked her path and forced her to take a seat on the bus next to him. He fastened her seat belt for her, the affidavit said, and while doing so put his face close enough to hers “to kiss her.”

During the ride to her home, Khan intentionally dropped a pen and, while bending down to retrieve it, pointed his cell phone’s camera between her legs, the affidavit said.

Surveillance footage from the bus showed that the girl closed her legs to prevent Khan from touching her, but that he pulled her legs apart to continue touching her. At one point during the assault, police said, Khan put his hands in his pants and appeared to touch himself.