The Delhi High Court on Thursday told the Central Bureau of Investigation to submit a report within two weeks about the whereabouts of Virender Dev Dixit, the founder of an institution that is under investigation for alleged sexual assault and illegal confinement of girls and young women at its ashrams, PTI reported.
The court also reprimanded the defence prosecutors for obstructing proceedings by not producing Dixit before it, and instructed Ruchi Gupta, the administrator of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in North Delhi’s Rohini locality, to file a response by next week. Earlier, the High Court had asked Dixit to be present before the bench on January 4.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Chari Shankar said that they found merits in the argument of a court-appointed panel that the ashram authorities and Dixit were making the girls lodge false complaints against their family members to dissuade them from pursuing the cases.
The panel said that it would not interfere in any genuine, legitimate and honest spiritual pursuits, but would not tolerate “any fraudulent or illegal activity”.
The High Court instructed the panel to file a status report before the case is next heard on February 5.
Scores of girls and women have been rescued from ashrams of Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in parts of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad since December 20 when the High Court had asked the CBI to inspect the institute’s Rohini premises. Parents of three girls and the NGO Foundation for Social Empowerment had moved the High Court, claiming that many young women were raped at the ashram and several had committed suicide but no case was ever registered.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!