The Delhi High Court on Thursday questioned self-proclaimed godman Virender Dev Dixit, who allegedly confined girls and women at his Rohini ashram in the Capital, why he was in hiding since last December if he had done nothing wrong.
The CBI, which is investigating the case, told a Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar that it has issued a blue corner notice to locate him through the Interpol.
“Why does your leader not appear before the CBI? He is absconding. Your leader is running, that too at an international level. What kind of example is he setting? Ask him to appear before the CBI. If you have nothing to hide, make your activities transparent,” the Bench remarked.
Allegation against DCW
The Bench’s observations came after the ashram’s lawyer alleged that the Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal was spreading propaganda about their institution.
Maliwal statement
“Mr. Dixit is a coward, fraud and hypocrite. He has no respect for the law and even after issuing warrants and orders from [the] court, he is not appearing in court,” Ms. Maliwal had said in a statement.
When the ashram’s lawyer claimed that their spirituality prohibits them from registering their group with any statutory body, the court said, “Your spirituality is also bound by the law. If it is not in harmony with the law prescribed, then you will have to face the consequences.”
Status report
The CBI, in its status report, said that the godman has fled to Nepal along with the wife of one of his followers and the woman’s husband has said that he has no knowledge about her whereabouts.
The agency also told the court that it has asked the Interpol to issue a blue corner notice to locate him.
It said women inmates needed prior permission from Mr. Dixit before even getting a pen to write to their family or dear ones.
‘Nominate experts’
The court also directed the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) to nominate some experts to visit the ashram and inspect the conditions there to ascertain the physical and mental health of its inmates.
The court was hearing a petition by non-government organisation Foundation for Social Empowerment.
The NGO has alleged in the petition that several minors and women were being illegally confined at the “spiritual university” (Adhyatmik University) and were not allowed to meet their parents.
The court had appointed a three-member panel, comprising Ms. Maliwal and advocates Nandita Rao and Ajay Verma, to inspect the Rohini ashram and its other branches in the Capital.
