Monitor guest houses, hostels: Delhi High Court tells police

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice AJ Bhambhani said the city police is duty-bound to track their areas and establishments like hostels and PGs to keep a check that these girls are not kept confined.

The Delhi High Court on Friday stressed the need to have some oversight by police on private hostels and paying guest accommodations, especially for women, to ensure their safety.

Monitor guest houses, hostels: Delhi High Court tells police

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice AJ Bhambhani said the city police is duty-bound to track their areas and establishments like hostels and PGs to keep a check that these girls are not kept confined.

The observation came while hearing a plea by an NGO which alleged that several minors and women were being illegally confined at an ashram in Rohini and were not allowed to meet parents.

The plea had alleged that a sex racket is being in the garb of imparting spiritual knowledge at the ashram being run by self-styled godman.

On Friday, the bench sought to know from the police about the steps it had taken after it was informed about several girls and women were allegedly confined in the Rohini ashram.

“Delhi Police has a duty to know what activities were going on in their area,” the court said.

Appearing for the ashram, its counsel said it was running a centre of spiritual education and not any hostel or PG. The court responded and said, “It (ashram) may not be a hostel or PG, but you are housing girls there, so their security and safety has to be looked into. You are concerned only about your institute, but we are concerned about larger public issues.”