New Delhi: The Delhi high court, on Friday, asked the CBI to trace the founder of the North Delhi-based ashram where women were allegedly kept under illegal confinement. Mea-nwhile, continuing the raid at the ashram of Baba Dikshit in North-west Delhi, the teams rescued over 40 women in a joint operation.
Continuing the raid at the ashram belonging to self-styled spiritual leader Baba Virender Dikshit, as many as 40 girls were allegedly rescued in a joint operation by the local police along with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) from Rohini’s Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya on Thursday night.
The raid was conducted following the Delhi high court’s order on Tuesday. The court formed a panel consisting of lawyers and the DCW chief to inspect the premises of the supposed institute where girls and women were allegedly kept in illegal confinement.
DCW chief Swati Jaihind on Friday said that the high court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the alleged illegal confinement of girls and women in the ashram owned by Baba Dikshit and had asked the accused spiritual leader to appear before it.
Ms Jaihind also added that the high court had ordered the DCW, Delhi police, and two senior lawyers to inspect the matter.
The DCW chief took to Twitter and wrote, “Finally, after 3 days, in a mammoth operation, 41 minor girls were rescued from Baba Virender Dikshit’s ashram with the help of the CWC and 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 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.
Meanwhile, the police is probing the matter.
