Neelam Gorhe demands CID probe into ashram case

The letter addressed to the home department as well as director general of police K Subrahmanyam requests that the probe be transferred to the CID.

Addressing a press conference on Friday,Gorhe said the rural police were not adept to handle the issue and the entire responsibility should be handed over to the CID. “The CID will be able to handle the case independently as was done in the Preet Mandir case,’’ said Gorhe.

She said there should be mapping of all the orphanages in the state and a thorough check should be conducted into the residential orphanages and their operations by the district women and child development department. She has also asked for sensitised social workers to work along with the police to investigate into the current issue.

She also recommended counselling for the affected students and amendment of the Juvenile Justice Act as it is under the Home Department. In her letter,she has stated that the ashram did not have a female rector though they had female students,which is in violation of the rules.

She said there were several discrepancies in operations of the institutions at Panvel,Kalyan,Neral and Kamshet and there was no committee appointed to check into the matter. Proper and mandatory health check-ups of students as well as filling up vacant posts of state women’s commission and child rights commission is mandatory,she said.