The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union and Delhi governments asking them to file replies to charges of sexual abuse of children at Arya Anathalaya (orphanage) in Darya Ganj here.
A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued the notices on an email sent by Bharti Ali, co-director of non-government organisation Haq, Centre for Child Rights, regarding sexual abuse of the children at the orphanage and their other sufferings.
The sordid conditions at the orphanage came out when an 11-year-old girl died after being repeatedly raped at the centre.
Members of the no-profit organisation had visited the orphanage along with some police officers to talk to the children who were subjected to various kinds of abuse.
According to them, a majority of the children, boys as well as girls, whom the NGO-police team talked to complained about sexual harassment, ill-treatment, eve-teasing and digital rape of kids, including boys.
Directing the respondents to file the replies within three weeks, the Bench also directed the administrator appointed by the Delhi Government to look into the allegations to file a status report on the living conditions and safety of these children at the care centre.
The Government had appointed an administrator to investigate the living conditions and safety of the children at the orphanage follow- ing reports in the media abo-ut their sexual exploitation.
Countering the allegations, counsel appearing for the orphanage submitted that the charges against the child care centre were baseless. He submitted that the orphanage management was open to probe into the operation of the centre by a Court-appointed inquiry officer.
Observing on the argument by counsel for the orphanage, the Bench said it was looking into the problem with larger perspective, including running of such centres without registration.
