trendingNow,recommendedStories,recommendedStoriesMobileenglish2573264

Why are we giving Virendra Dev Dixit time to cover up his deeds, asks DCW Chief

Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal speaks to Cheena Kapoor about the minors rescued from self-styled godman Virender Dev Dixit's ashrams, and her plans going forward. Excerpts:

Why are we giving Virendra Dev Dixit time to cover up his deeds, asks DCW Chief
Swati Maliwal

What did you see inside the ashram?

Apart from locks and gates at every three steps, there were stacks of medicines without prescriptions. I strongly feel that these women were being drugged. There was a room full of medicines. There were many suitcases full of letters written to Dixit. There were also numerous CDs and books on Baba, most of these had sexually offensive content, including Dixit asking women to sleep with him to avoid bad dreams and increase their 'love percentage' with him to become more lovely. The girls were being monitored to a very sad extent. There are cameras installed from which you can see them sleeping. Toilets do not have doors. They were being given a liquid drink. I just tried a small dose, and it left me dizzy for almost two hours.

The medicines, letters, locks, and cameras strongly suggest that he has been running a human trafficking racket.

Locals confirmed that the girls used to leave later in the night and return early morning. There was a constant movement of luxury cars in the area. There is no role of men at any of these ashrams. He asks only girls and women to surrender. Why does spirituality have to be taught behind locked doors?

What is the action plan for those rescued?

Some really scary facts have come to light after the raid at the Rohini ashram. We have so far rescued 48 minors, all of them have been brainwashed and made to sign affidavits, confirming their complete surrender to Dixit. Currently, they have been termed 'children in need of care and protection' and are at a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) shelter home. The CWC team will counsel them and get them to share details of their parents' whereabouts,
hopefully.

What next?

Of the eight alleged ashrams in Delhi, we have raided five ashrams so far. We are yet to find information about the other three. Why has CBI not yet started its raids? We are not an investigative agency and are conducting raids only as per the information received from people. CBI is better equipped to deal with the case and should do simultaneous raids. Why are we giving him so much time to cover up his deeds? His ashrams in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been raided, but Mumbai has not done anything yet. I appeal to the government to take strict and quick action here and not give him time.

LIVE COVERAGE

TRENDING NEWS TOPICS
More