Inspect N. Delhi institute confining minors, says HC
◗ The bench ruled the inspection should be videographed and Delhi Commission for Women’s chief Swati Jaihind should accompany the police
New Delhi, Dec. 19: The Delhi high court on Tuesday directed the police to immediately inspect an institute in north Delhi where girls and women were allegedly kept in illegal confinement, dubbing the situation “similar” to that witnessed in Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s ashram in Haryana’s Sirsa.
A bench of acting chief justice Gita Mittal and justice C. Hari Shankar said that it was ‘ extremely dangerous’ that girls and women have been allegedly kept in illegal confinement in the name of god.
Without making any direct references of Ram Rahim or the Dera Sacha Sauda sect led by him, the bench said similar activities were going on in Sirsa, whose chief was recently handed down a 20- year jail term for raping two women disciples.
“This issue is similar to the situation faced in Sirsa, where the girls and women were illegally confined,” the bench said.
It directed the Delhi police commissioner to depute a senior officer, not below the rank of DCP, to inspect the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in Rohini on Tuesday.
The bench ordered the inspection should be videographed and DCW chief Swati Jaihind should also accompany the police.
It said that the Delhi police’s standing counsel Rahul Mehra should coordinate with the police officers and ensure that the three girls, whose parents moved the court, be produced before it tomorrow.
The bench directed Virender Dev Dixit, the founder and spiritual head, Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in Rohini to cooperate with the police during the drive.
Mr Dixit has been arrayed as a party in the plea filed by NGO, Foundation for Social Empowerment, which told the court that minors and women were allegedly confined at the ‘ spiritual institute’ and are also not allowed to meet their parents. The NGO also alleged that girls confined at the institute have committed suicide in the past, but police never lodged a case in this regard.