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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna, has ordered a woman residing in an ashram established by self-styled spiritual preacher Virender Dev Dixit to be present before the court.

The woman's parents raised concerns, alleging that their "highly educated" daughter was being misled and affected by "overvalued ideas."

The parents sought the court's intervention to facilitate an interaction with their daughter, who has been residing in Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidhyalaya, Rohini, without their consent. However, the court emphasized that the daughter is an adult with her own mind, and coercing her to meet her parents is not permissible.

The petitioners' counsel requested the court to order a psychological analysis of the daughter based on a report from a committee led by the Principal District and Sessions Judge of Rohini, which examined the ashram's residents.

The court-appointed amicus curiae stated that the daughter, as an adult, expressed her willingness to reside in the ashram and did not wish to meet her parents. The amicus argued against subjecting her to a psychological analysis against her will, given her apparent sound mind.

The daughter's counsel affirmed that she is a 38-year-old woman who does not want to meet her parents, and she had previously been examined by psychologists in 2018.

The amicus curiae proposed that the court interact with the daughter before making further decisions. Consequently, the court directed the daughter to be present in court and scheduled the next hearing for January.

The petitioners initially approached the high court in 2020, seeking the "release" of their daughter from the ashram, which they claim is run by an accused individual involved in serious crimes. The daughter allegedly requires treatment for "overvalued ideas" and acute backache.

In 2017, the NGO Foundation for Social Empowerment filed a plea alleging the illegal confinement of children and women at Dixit's "spiritual university."

The court had previously instructed the CBI to trace Dixit and investigate the alleged illegal confinement, assuring that all efforts were being made to locate him, including raids on his farmhouses and ashrams. On September 12, the court allowed the CBI to freeze Dixit's bank accounts.

Case Title: Dumpala Meenavathi and Anr. v. Union of India and Ors.