AMN / NEW DELHI
The Delhi High Court Friday asked the CBI to trace the founder of the north Delhi-based ashram where girls were allegedly kept under illegal confinement and were not allowed to meet their parents.
The court has asked Virender Dev Dixit, the founder of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in North Delhi’s Rohini to be present before it on 4th of next month.
Earlier, the high court had directed the CBI to probe the alleged illegal confinement of girls and women in the ashram. The court passed the order on a PIL filed by an NGO.
A committee, comprising lawyers and Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal, was set up by the High Court, to inspect the premises of the institute.
The panel gave a report detailing the horrible living conditions of the over 100 girls and women who were housed in animal-like conditions with no privacy even for bathing.
The court directed the CBI to proceed in accordance with law and ensure that the truth comes out.
It asked the Delhi Police and the AAP government to extend their full cooperation and render every assistance and logistics required by the CBI’s special investigative team (SIT) which is investigating the allegations against the ashram and its founder.
The bench also asked the committee appointed by it to inspect eight other similar centres being run by Dixit in the national capital after the existence of these places was brought to the court’s attention.
It directed that the committee, comprising Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal and advocates Ajay Verma and Nandita Rao, be provided protection by the police and ordered the people running the centres to cooperate and not obstruct the inspection.
“The High Court has ordered accused Baba Virender Dev Dikshit to appear before it. It was learnt that there are eight more ashrams of the baba in Delhi. DCW requested the inspection of these ashrams,” Maliwal told media here.
Maliwal also added the High Court had ordered DCW, the Delhi Police and two senior lawyers to inspect the matter.
“More than 40 girls who were kept under illegal confinement have been rescued from an ashram in Delhi’s Rohini. Baba Virendra Dev Diskhit should be arrested immediately. The High Court has also ordered DCW, the Delhi Police and two senior lawyers to inspect the matter,” she added.
The rescue operation was carried out after the Delhi High Court formed a panel consisting of lawyers and the DCW chief, to inspect the premises of the so-called institute, owned by the Baba Virender Dikshit where girls and women were allegedly kept in illegal confinement.
Maliwal also tweeted yesterday: “Finally, after three days, in a mammoth operation, 41 minor girls were rescued from Baba Virender Dikshit Ashram with the help of CWC and the Delhi Police. These girls will now be counselled; their parents will be contacted and their ages will be verified. This place needs to be shut and the baba should be arrested!”
The rescued girls, who were sent to the shelter homes, will now be counselled.
The residents of the area alleged that these minors had been “trapped” inside the ashram and were trained to work as sex workers.