Dikshit orders probe into abuse in orphanage

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit today ordered an inquiry into the alleged sexual abuse of children at Arya Orphanage in Central Delhi and asked officials to go 'deep down' to issues being faced by inmates to prevent their recurrence.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday ordered an inquiry into the alleged sexual abuse of children at a privately-run orphanage here and asked officials to go "deep down" to issues being faced by inmates to prevent their recurrence.

In the wake of the allegations, government had last week appointed a senior official as administrator at the Arya Orphanage in Central Delhi to oversee its functioning.

"We have ordered an inquiry. They (the inquiry committee) will enquire the real reasons so that we can go deep down into them," Dikshit said.

The chief minister said government would look at the deeper issues and come out with measures to ensure that children living at orphanages do not face any problem.

"We have already appointed an administrator who is looking into the issues. We will see what should be done to prevent such incidents," she said, adding members of the probe panel will be announced tomorrow.

Police has already arrested four persons in connection with the alleged sexual abuse on children in the orphanage.

Women and child welfare minister Kiran Walia, who has been pressing for a detailed inquiry into the functioning of the orphanage, said it has not been registered with the government under the Juvenile Justice Act and so it was not possible to take punitive action against it.

"If it was registered with the government, then we could have taken action. But still we are pursuing the case vigorously," she said, adding that child welfare committee was also looking at condition of the children in the orphanage and had been providing counselling.