Rohini ashram case: Delhi High court orders 'godman' to appear before it

The Delhi High court on Thursday warned self-styled 'godman' Virendra Dev Dixit — who has been accused of running a sex racket in garb of imparting spiritual knowledge — that it will direct the CBI to register kidnapping cases if the girls rescued are found to be minors.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also said that it would issue warrants against Dixit for his failure to appear in court. It came down heavily on Amit Kokane, the counsel appearing for Dixit, for evading questions on his whereabouts.

"Court appearance is much more important than anything. If he is not coming, it means that he considers himself to be more important than the court. If this is the case, then the only thing which will be left to us will be issuing warrants. Do you want us to do that?", the bench questioned angrily.

"Don't resort to misuse of law. We will direct the CBI to register kidnapping cases if the children are found to be minor," the court added.

The court's observation came as it was informed by Shalabh Gupta, counsel for the petitioner, that the inmates had lodged FIRs against their own relatives pursuant to the plea.

On Thursday, Deepak Anthony D'Silva, allegedly a close aid of Dixit, came to the court stating that he has no clue about the present location of the Baba. On the last date of hearing, Kokane had said that he would get D'Silva after the bench sought to know about the location of the Baba.

The bench also pulled up the Delhi police for their inaction when complaints were filed against the Ashram and termed them to be a "sitting duck".

"Why are we not informed about this (FIR)? Who has done it? Where is the SHO? Please bring this to the notice of the commissioner," the court told the Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP), Vijay Vihar.

The court also said that the probe was transferred to the CBI because the Delhi police was not doing its duty properly. It added that it was difficult to believe that scores of women would make similar allegations against their close relatives.

A three-member court appointed committee comprising advocate Ajay Verma, DCW Chief Swati Maliwal and advocate Nandita Rao informed the court that the institute was making the inmates write letters which made allegations of sexual assaults by their family members, on them.

The bench said "prima facie there appears to be substance in the submission of the committee" that the ashram and Dixit may be utilising the complaints to make similar allegations against the family members as a "shield" to keep the inmates on the premises.

The court directed all the respondents to file a status report within two weeks. It also directed the police station Vijay Vihar, Uttam Nagar, Karawal Nagar, Nangloi and Palam to ensure that all the things seized from the Ashrams to be given to CBI.

The court also slammed Kokane for his contradictory statement on the whereabouts of the Baba.

"Don't go back on the statement made in the court. You said that you would get Dixit to the court but now you are saying that you don't know where he is," the court said.

Advocate Ajay Verma, member of the court-appointed committee, said that no register was found in the Ashram and none of the inmates lodged at the Ashram have the contact details of their parents.

"Do you know the whereabouts of Dixit? If he has done nothing, then he should have come to the court. We gave you the benefit of doubt and did not accept the petitioners on face value. We have not removed the inmates to the Nari Niketan and not disrupted the operation. But we do not approve of women staying in cages even on their own will," the bench added.

Coming down heavily on Kokane, the court threatened of taking action against him stating that he was "obstructing" the proceedings.

"You are not assisting the court but you are obstructing the proceedings of the court. What you are doing is criminal contempt," the court said quashing all the arguments and submissions given by Kokane.

SITTING DUCKS

• The bench pulled up Delhi police for inaction when complaints were filed against the Ashram and termed them to be a “sitting duck”
   
• “Why are we not info-rmed about this (FIR)? Who has done it? Where is the SHO?,” the court told ACP, Vijay Vihar.