Rohini Ashram Case: Delhi High Court Asks CBI To File Report on Whereabouts Of Virendra Dev Dixit

Dealing with a plea related to the living conditions of women at a Rohini-based ashram, the Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh response regarding steps taken to arrest Virendra Dev Dixit, a self styled godman and Chief of the institution, who has been declared as a proclaimed offender in a sexual exploitation case. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad also directed the concerned Superintendent of Police, CBI to remain personally present in the court on November 10, next date of hearing.

While Dixit has been declared as a proclaimed offender and his whereabouts are unknown, the court was informed by amicus curiae Advocate Akansha Kaul that he was uploading various videos. Even in August 2022, a video has been uploaded, Kaul added.

Observing that CBI should take all possible steps to arrest Dixit, the court in its order dated October 7 said:

"It is really strange that there is no report from the CBI in respect of arrest of Mr. Virender Dev Dixit (Proclaimed Offender)."

The bench also appreciated the assistance of retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi who was present before the court during the course of hearing.

The court in April had asked Bedi, the former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, to supervise a committee constituted by it for the welfare of Vidyalaya's women inmates. The committee was also asked to assess their physical and mental health. Additional Sessions Judge, North-West Rohini is the Chairperson of the Committee.

The court also directed the institution to get itself registered under the Women's and Children's Institutions (Licensing) Act, 1956 and granted it one weeks time for filing the registration application.

"…. the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) shall pass appropriate order in respect of the registration positively within a period of four weeks thereafter," the court ordered.

Earlier, the court had ordered that the Committee shall be provided access by the ashram to inspect the premises and to interact with inmates freely, on a regular basis.

Moreover, the court had also said that the committee shall be free to take assistance of medical doctors, psychiatrists and other experts to make an assessment of the physical and mental well being of the inmates.

Previously, the bench had observed that women and children are a vulnerable class and therefore, some vigilance is required to keep a check on the functioning of such institutions.

At the same time, it clarified that the institution shall be free to pursue its religious and spiritual activities, provided none of them infringe any fundamental rights or other rights of any inmate or any other person.

The High Court in 2017 had ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the alleged illegal confinement of women and minors in the ashram after hearing a PIL filed by an NGO.

Case Title: DUMPALA MEENAVATHI AND ANR. v. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

Click Here To Read Order