NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notice to a Joint Commissioner of Police over the apparent lapses by police in the rescue of 17 girls.
The rescue operation of these girls was conducted recently earlier by DCW, police personnel and an NGO.
The Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), after conducting the rescue operation, was told by Delhi Police that 13 of these girls would be sent back to the brothel, as apparently their Aadhaar cards showed them to be over 18 years of age.
Strong objections raised by the CWC, which said that the girls – all from Nepal – appeared to be minors and their Aadhaar cards appeared to be fake.
CWC recommended the police to conduct age verification of the girls and until then ordered for all 17 girls to be housed in Nirmal Chhaya Shelter Home.
The Commission, upon receipt of this information, intervened and recommended to Delhi Police that orders of the CWC be complied with.
According to DCW, unexplained and unnecessary haste to send the girls back to the brothel the same day was a serious lapse on part of the Crime Branch and is in violation of Juvenile Justice Act.
The Commission has instituted an enquiry into the matter.