Apna Ghar sexual exploitation case: Nine held guilty; quantum on Apr 24

The sexual exploitation case come to light on May 9, 2012, after a team from the National Council for the Protection of Child Rights conducted a surprise raid and rescued nearly 120 inmates.

Nine people, including main accused Jaswanti Devi, were held guilty by a special CBI court in connection with infamous Rohtak’s Apna Ghar sexual expliotation case. Apna Ghar was an orphanage housing destitute and mentally challenged mostly girls.

Main accused Jaswanti Devi in the Panchkula district court on Wednesday.(HT Photo)

One accused was acquitted in the order pronounced on Wednesday by judge Jagdeep Singh.

THE CASE TIMELINE

May 7, 2012: Three girls escape Rohtak’s government-funded destitute home Apna Ghar and contracted childline after reaching Delhi

May 9, 2012: NCPCR raids the shelter home and rescues over 100 inmates followed by arrest of centre head Jaswanti and her kin

June 8, 2012: Haryana government seals the shelter and a week later hands over the probe to CBI

August 7, 2012: CBI files chargesheet against 10 people in special CBI court in Panchkula

September 23, 2014: CBI court frames charges against the accused and trial begins

February 14, 2018: Evidence closed and final arguments start

April 18: 9 out of 10 accused held guilty, quantum of sentence in April 24

CBI senior counsel Jitender Kumar told the media that the quantum of sentence will be pronounced on April 24.

The sexual exploitation case come to light on May 9, 2012, after a team from the National Council for the Protection of Child Rights conducted a surprise raid and rescued nearly 120 inmates.

Inmates of the shelter home were subjected to sexual abuse, besides being physical and mental exploited and used as bonded labour.

The shelter home, which was located in the home town of the-then chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was sealed a month after the raid. After the initial probe, the case was handed over to the CBI.

Those held guilty included Jaswanti Devi, who was in-charge of the shelter home, her daughter Sushma alias Simmi, son-in-law Jai Bhagwan, brother Jaswant, cousin Sheela, acquaintance Roshni, driver Satish, employee Ram Prakash Saini and counsellor Veena.

Apna Ghar was being run by NGO Bharat Vikas Sangh and was headed by Jaswanti Devi. Former child development project officer of Rohtak Angrez Kaur Hooda was acquitted, reasons for which are not known yet.

All of them were being tried for rape, abortion without consent, voluntarily causing hurt, assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, unlawful compulsory labour, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and violation of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.

An additional charge of gangrape was framed against Jai Bhagwan and Satish.

121 prosecution witnesses examined during the trial

As many as 121 prosecution witnesses were examined during the trial. A counsel privy to the trial said testimony of 10-12 inmates was vital to the case as they had identified the main accused and recalled horrific experiences they had undergone during their stay at Apna Ghar.

The defence counsel produced 26 witnesses.