Foreigners detained in beggar home; Maliwal sends notices to FRRO, Delhi Police

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal issued notice to foreigner regional registration offices (FRRO) and Delhi Police over complaints received from foreign nationals detained in the Beggar Home. The complaints first came to light after the Commission's earlier surprise inspection to the beggar home on January 8. Moreover, Maliwal issued summons to FRRO for not providing complete information to DCW's earlier notice.

On February 8, Maliwal again went to the Beggar Home on a surprise inspection and recorded serious complaints from two women, one belonging to Afghanistan and the other from Nigeria.

20-year-old Maria (name changed), the complainant from Nigeria, informed the Commission that she had been detained in the Beggar Home since January 17. She alleged to have been brought to India by a fellow Nigerian woman named Precious on the pretext of employment. However, Precious forced her to work as a domestic help at the former's house and also tried to force her into prostitution.

Later, when Maria tried to escape Precious' home, she was abducted by her and four men and was kept in confinement for seven days. Further, she was handed over by the abductors to Uttam Nagar police station and then to the FRRO. She alleged that the police officials were bribed by Precious.

Maria then filed a police complaint against Precious. On this issue, Maliwal sent a notice to the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police, seeking information on the action taken on the complaint filed by Maria.

Another notice has been issued to FRRO, seeking information on the action taken to ensure the girl's safe deportation and the reasons for non-registration of FIR against Precious.

Meanwhile, the second complainant Reshma (name changed), who is an Afghan national, told the Commission that she arrived in India in 2010 with her three children on a six month visa, after her husband was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 by the Taliban.

Reshma went back to Afghanistan, after her six month visa expired, and stayed there for a while. During this period, one of her sons was abducted by the Taliban, and she later came to India again.

The complainant told DCW that she had been permitted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to stay in India along with her children till April 2017. However, Reshma and her sons were later reportedly detained by the FRRO — stating that they had been blacklisted — and have been detained in the Beggar Home since January 17. She approached DCW seeking help for her children, who are enrolled in a school and have their examinations approaching.

DCW immediately issued a notice to FRRO seeking information on the reasons for the detention and the refugee status of the family.

The Commission also wrote to UNHCR to confirm the lady's refugee status. "There are several complaints received against the FRRO. It is sad that they have failed to provide adequate information to the Commission till date. Lack of transparency in the working of the FRRO is not proper," said Maliwal. The Commission has summoned FRRO to appear on February 17 for not providing complete information in reply to the notice issued earlier.