DCW issues notice to police over sending back 13 girls to brothels

New Delhi: Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued a notice to police's crime branch in connection with the incident in which 13 girls were first rescued and then sent back to brothels at GB Road, describing it as a serious lapse.

The Commission issued the notice to Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, seeking to know the reasons for sending the girls back in violation of the orders of Child Welfare Committee along with the details of officers under whose approval the girls were sent back to the brothels.

According to the notice, the 13 girls were produced before the CWC today.

It is most urgently required that the girls are safeguarded and their correct age is established, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

"Further, a statement of Delhi Police is being reported in the media stating that the girls were sent to the brothels as they were allegedly staying there on their 'own will'.

"However, in critical oversight, Delhi Police failed to note that in case the girls turned out to be minors, they were to be rescued regardless of their consent," the notice states.

The women's panel, in the notice, said that the rescue of the girls was conducted as a result of information received from two girls, who had been rescued earlier by DCW, GB Road police and NGO Rescue Foundation.

The Chairperson of the CWC strongly objected to the girls being sent back to the brothels as all the girls appeared to be minors and their Aadhar cards appeared to be fake since most girls belonged to Nepal.

The Commission is of the view that unexplained and unnecessary haste to send the girls back to the brothels the same day was a serious lapse on part of the Crime Branch and is in violation of Juvenile Justice Act, the notice stated.

The commission has sought to know whether any departmental enquiry has been initiated in the matter along with the details of the girls to be produced before CWC, including their name, address and copy of Aadhar card.

The Commission has sought the information by December 3.