A lawyer’s remark that ‘ nari narak ka dwar hai [women are the gateway to hell]’ on Monday drew the ire of the Delhi High Court, which warned him of stern action.
The statement was made by the lawyer who was representing a Delhi-based ashram of Virender Dev Dixit, who is facing a CBI probe for allegedly confining women and girls.
A Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar warned the advocate, Amol Kokane, that his manner of argument would invite contempt of court action.
The lawyer had said in court: “... According to Sankaracharya, nari narak ka dwar hai [women are the gateway to hell]”. Reacting to the statement, the Bench asked the lawyer about which Sankaracharya he was referring to. The lawyer did not reply.
The lawyer’s remark came in response to the court’s query on why only women and girls were being “abandoned” by parents at the ashrams of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya, founded by Mr. Dixit.
Delhi government’s lawyer Rahul Mehra also expressed his displeasure against the arguments made by Mr. Kokane and even questioned whether he was an advocate and demanded that his registration at the Bar be examined.
Hearing abruptly ends
The court, however, instantly concluded the day’s hearing in the matter and asked everyone associated with the case to immediately leave the court room.
The Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya, located in Rohini in north Delhi, made headlines after several hundred women and girls were allegedly found illegally confined there in a fortress-like premises late last year. The founder-cum-spiritual leader of the institute, Mr. Dixit, is facing a CBI probe and is yet to be traced by the agency which has issued a look out circular for him.
The agency has also claimed to have raided several of his ashrams in the search for him as he is yet to join the investigation despite a High Court order that he be present before it.
