Mumbai

Shocked HC files suo-motu PIL over ashram rape and deaths

Summons concerned officers over recent rape of girl, deaths of five children due to lack of treatment

Hetal Vyas

Posted On Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 05:11:57 AM

Summons concerned officers over recent rape of girl, deaths of five children due to lack of treatment

The Mumbai Mirror report (Jan 23) on the 15-yr-old who was found pregnant

The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed shock over the sorry state of affairs prevailing at an ashram in Thane District, where lack of medical treatment resulted in the deaths of five advasi children in 2006-07.

Furthermore, a 15-year-old girl who was found pregnant had accused the superintendent of the ashram shala (resident school) of allegedly raping her repeatedly.

While a social activist had written a letter to the chief justice regarding the deaths of the children, the case of the pregnant girl which was also brought to the notice of the court had been reported by Mumbai Mirror (January 23).

“This is an extremely sorry state of affairs,” remarked the division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, while directing the project officer in charge of the ashram shala to remain present in court.

Local social activist Suresh Shinda had written to the chief justice on December 12, 2007, stating that in 2006-07 five advasi children who were lodged at the Dahanu ashram shala died after they were sent home without being provided proper medical treatment.

According to the letter, the kids had fallen ill while at the ashram shala. But, instead of treating them, the in-charge sent them home, soon after which they died, the letter stated. However, in none of the instances was any action taken against the concerned superintendent.

Following the incidents, Shinda contacted the then tribal welfare secretary Sunil Porwal, who asked him to lodge a police complaint about the children’s deaths. However, as the authorities did not act on the complaint, Shinda wrote a letter to the CJ, which was subsequently turned into a suo-motu PIL.

Geeta Mulekar, additional government pleader who has been appointed as amicus curie (friend of court), informed the court that she has taken newspaper clippings of incidents concerning the ashram shala.

The court has directed additional government pleader Pradip Patil to ensure that the project officer and other concerned officers remain present in the court on Friday.

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Shocked HC files suo-motu PIL over ashram rape and deaths

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