DCW chief suspects human trafficking in Virender Dev Dikshit's ashrams

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on monday visited two more centres run by self claimed spiritual leader Virender Dev Dixit at Karawal Nagar and Nangloi and demanded a CBI probe into what she suspected was a human trafficking racket being run by him.

Maliwal was accompanied by Ajay Verma, advocate appointed as amicus curiae by High Court, as they interacted with the inmates of Karwal Nagar centre this morning and found six women living in confinement there.

"This ashram is similar to those in Vijay Vihar, Rohini and others - full of locked structures. We found six women here, of whom some appeared minors," she said.

The DCW chief said the situation in these centres was similar to the others previously visited by her team. "There are no proper records about any girl's arrival here and their duration of stay here. The people here have nothing to say about where have these girls come from. When asked about their parents' contact, these girls do not respond," she added.

Maliwa said the DCW has requested the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to interact with these minors to find out more about them. Also, the concerned CWC has been requested to shift them to shelter homes to ensure their counselling.

Maliwal said the locals informed the DCW that prior to their visit, "many girls" were "removed" from the Karwal Nagar centre's premises.

Next the team visited Nangloi Ashram where they met around 10 to 15 women. The team did not find any minors there but the locals informed that 20 girls were "removed from the ashram" in the morning itself.

Some registers and literature was confiscated from the ashram, she said.

Also read: HC doubts spirituality of Rohini ashram for confining girls

"It appears that Baba Virender Dev Dixit is running a human trafficking racket. The CBI should urgently and simultaneously conduct raids at all ashrams of Dikshit across India and close them down. By delaying the raids, he is getting time to cover up his action," she said.

On December 23, the DCW along with the Delhi Police raided Dixit's ashram located in Mohan garden area of Uttam Nagar and found 25 women confined there.

Also read: Delhi High Court asks CBI to trace founder of Rohini ashram

The issue had come to light due to a PIL filed by an NGO Foundation for Social Empowerment before the Delhi High Court.

The NGO had informed the court that several minors and women were allegedly being illegally confined there.