"Shocked:" Delhi High Court on ashram of absconding godman Virendra Dev Dixit housing 160 women in 'animal-like' conditions

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday expressed its shock at the functioning of an ashram owned by absconding godman Virendra Dev Dixit, where over 160 women are alleged to be living in 'inhumane' and 'animal-like' conditions. .A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla termed the existence of such a facility in the national capital "sheer nonsense", adding that something was definitely going on there. The Bench stated that it is of the prima facie view that the ashram should be taken over by the Health Department of the Delhi government. "We are going to direct the government to take over the ashram. We will direct it today. This is sheer nonsense. In broad daylight, in a city like Delhi you are doing this nonsense. Who is running it in his (Dixit) absence," the Court asked..This is sheer nonsense. In broad daylight, in a city like Delhi you are doing this nonsense. Who is running it in his (Dixit) absence..Virendra Dev Dixit was an adherent of the Brahma Kumaris, who later founded his own organisation named Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya. Dixit has been accused of confining and sexually exploiting over 100 women at his ‘fortress-like ashram’ in Delhi’s Rohini area.The godman and his ashram shot to news in December 2018 when over 40 women were rescued from the premises by the Delhi Police. Since then, Dixit has been on the run. The case is now being dealt with by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)..The High Court, today, was hearing a petition filed by parents of one of the inmates housed in the facility. Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for the petitioner, told the Court that the parents wanted to meet their daughter who is suffering from severe backache, but they were not being allowed to do so. Guruswamy told the Court that the ashram is owned by Dixit, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI and has at least 10 cases pending against him. She informed the Court about the reports furnished by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson, Swati Maliwal, and advocate Nandita Rao that revealed that the inmates were living in the ashram in 'animal-like' conditions.Some of them appeared to be minors and showed signs of substance abuse, it was submitted. .Counsel appearing for daughter of the petitioner said that the ashram is not owned by Dixit and is being collectively run by the inmates. The High Court was told that a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medial Sciences (AIIMS) and the Institute of Human Behavious and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) had visited the facility on its orders, and found nothing wrong. .Guruswamy, however, pointed out that the report prepared by the AIIMS and IHBAS doctors had said that the answers by the inmates appeared to be mechanical with a common refrain being, "We are children of one father. We are here to save the world from a disaster". The Bench agreed stating that something was wrong at the ashram. .In its order, the Court said that it finds it difficult to accept that the inmates of the institution are in their full senses or that they are there living on their own free will and not under any coercion or undue influence."We are prima facie of the view that R6 institute should be taken over by the health department of GNCTD for its management and running. We therefore put the respondent institution to notice through R4 (daughter of the petitioner) who claims to be equally managing the institution to show cause as to why we should not proceed to direct the takeover of the institution,” the High Court said. .As an apprehension was expressed by Guruswamy that the women from the ashram may be relocated to other facilities following the Court’s stern view, the Bench directed the District Police Commissioner to ensure that inmates are not taken out or removed from the facility in the meantime.The Bench allowed the petitioner to meet their daughter before the next date of hearing. The Delhi Police was directed to provide adequate safety to the parents, and facilitate the meeting.The case will now considered on Thursday along with a similar petition that deals with the same ashram and its functioning. .Senior Advocate Dr Menaka Guruswamy along with advocates Sravan Kumar, Yash S. Vijay, Utkarsh Pratap and Medha Singh appeared for the petitioners.Advocate Amit Kochar appeared for the daughter of the petitioners.Centre was represented by its standing counsel Monika Arora, along with advocates Yogesh Panwar and Balkrishan. Special Public Prosecutor Rajesh Kumar appeared for the CBI. Delhi Government was represented by advocate Vimal Raj. .[Read Order]