JOIN USThe Delhi High Court on Friday asked the city government to find out persons “responsible” for alleged sexual abuse of a seven-year-old HIV positive boy in a government-run home here.
The court gave the direction while accepting a report filed by Delhi government standing counsel Pawan Sharma, saying the medical examination of the victim and the three other juveniles, whom he had accused of sexual abuse, found that except the victim no other juvenile was HIV positive.
A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Indermeet Kaur asked the counsel to file a fresh status report by March 13.
“We put to the standing counsel that an endeavour be made to find out as to the reason why the victim is making allegations against other children, and as to who is actually responsible for abuse of the victim,” said the court.
In the report, it was also stated that three boys have been shifted to another boys’ home as directed by this court. The victim is presently lodged in the government-run Ashiana Home for Boys in Alipur in Rohini, and had alleged sexual abuse by older boys. Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report in this regard, the bench had directed the government to conduct a medical examination of the victim and the other children whom he had accused of sexual abuse.
According to the media report, the victim’s mother died of AIDS while his stepfather is lodged in Tihar Jail for raping his daughter.
While the Child Welfare Committee decided to keep him out of the home and place him in the custody of NGO Child Survival India, which reported the matter on February 4, the committee is reportedly yet to take action against the staff and officials running the institution.
In a letter to the CWC, the NGO has mentioned that the child told counsellors that children at the home used to sexually abuse and harass him as well. The NGO expressed concern that other children may also be subjected to such abuse and has urged the CWC to take action.