Govt admits wrongdoing at Mankhurd children’s home

Responding to a PIL filed in the Bombay High Court earlier this month on wrongdoings at a home for mentally

deficient children in Mankhurd, the state government earlier this week admitted that an inquiry was underway,

and prima facie there seemed to be some truth in the allegations made in the PIL.

The PIL filed by one Sangeeta Punekar lists three incidents at the home - hosting a New Year party without prior

permission from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on December 31, 2012 where more than 20 girls from the

home were made to dance; rape of two girls (as reported in the media) in the home, and the death of a boy in

April this year.

The statement made by additional government pleader G W Mattos was in connection with the New Year’s eve

party. Mattos told the division bench of Justices V M Kanade and P D Kode that though the inquiry into the

alleged incident was still incomplete, it was clear that the allegation was prima facie true.

The PIL alleges that on December 31, 2012, one of the donors, M K Ravi, had arranged a helicopter ride for

about 50 inmates, from which the children returned to the home around 6 pm. Around 9pm, more than 20 girls

were brought out, taken to the hall in the boys’ section on directions from Superintendent Anil Gite and allegedly

at the insistence of Ravi, and made to dance.

It alleges that 25-30 persons not connected to the home were also present for the ‘event’, who showered money

on the girls and made them dance till 3.15am.

The PIL says the CWC, which is supposed to supervise and control the functioning of the children’s home, later

conducted an inquiry indicting the home officials and recommending action. However, the PIL says, nothing has

happened so far.

It sought a judicial inquiry into the home’s functioning and criminal action against its officials as well as those of

the Children’s Aid Society, which runs the home. The court has asked the government to complete the inquiry at

the earliest and inform the HC accordingly, while adjourning the case to August 6

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