The court observed that “people like Jaswanti were monsters in the garb of social activists and need to be dealt with sternly.”
“PERPETRATORS OF such crime deserve no mercy as protectors turned predators,” said Special CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh in his judgment in the Apna Ghar sexual abuse and trafficking case.
Apna Ghar, a shelter home in Rohtak district which housed destitute and physically challenged, mostly girls, had landed in a controversy when a team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, had raided the premises in 2012 and found sexual exploitation and human trafficking of inmates there by the in-charge and her kin. As many as 103 inmates were rescued from the shelter home. While holding nine accused guilty, the special CBI court on April 27 had awarded life imprisonment to three accused – in-charge Jaswanti Devi, her son-in-law Jai Bhagwan and driver Satish.
The detailed judgment, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, stated how destitute victims, some of them who were deaf and dumb, were not just raped but tortured in the shelter home. While stating that inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice dispensation system to undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law, the court observed, “With due regard to the request of convicts regarding mitigating circumstances of the convicts, this court is of the view that convicts, especially Jaswanti, Satish Kumar etc who were entrusted with custody and protection of destitute children/ females being lodged in the destitute home, have not only crossed the limits of breach of trust but have also turned welfare oriented organization into organisation violating chastity of such destitute inmates and the convicts in a way have taken advantage of physical and social weakness of inmates of protection home called Apna Ghar, knowing fully well that such destitute inmates are already victims of nature and therefore such abominable acts of convicts who indulged in sexual abuse of inmates, do not deserve any leniency from the court. The acts of convict Jaswanti further aggravate the situation by joining in others in the ghastly acts perpetrated by her inside the premises of welfare organisation and perpetrators of such crime deserve no mercy as protectors became predators.”
The court observed that “people like Jaswanti were monsters in the garb of social activists and need to be dealt with sternly.” “The inmates of Apna Ghar, some of whom were deaf and mute as well as minors had suffered traumatic experiences during their stay at Apna Ghar, being run by convict Jaswanti and all such victims who were already victims of circumstances had sought solace by coming to this institute meant for welfare of destitute and neglected children/females, but they had to suffer silently on account of fear instilled in their minds by the perpetrators of crime. Non governmental organisations and other such voluntary associations are meant to serve the humanity by providing community service and very purpose of such organisations is to render selfless service however the accused convicts indulged in committing crimes upon helpless and hapless children,”the judgment read.
While Jaswanti was convicted for the abetment of rape, for voluntarily causing hurt, unlawful compulsory labour, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children and running a prostitution ring. Jai Bhagwan was convicted for rape, voluntarily causing hurt, unlawful compulsory labour and criminal intimidation. Satish also was convicted for rape, unlawful compulsory labour and criminal conspiracy. Jaswanti’s brother Jaswant Singh was sent to a rigorous imprisonment of seven years for rape, Jaswanti’s daughter Simmi and two Apna Ghar employees Sheela and Veena had been freed on the basis of the already undergone sentence. Two other employees Roshni and Ram Prakash Saini have been ordered to be released on probation.