Our Heartfelt Gratitude to His Excellency, Sri Rajnath Singh-ji

It is with deep gratitude we wish to thank Sri Rajnath Singh-ji, the Hon’ble Home Minister of India.

As early as on 10.06.2014 and then through a reminder on 17.07.2014 we had written to the Hon’ble Home Minister informing him about our sorry plight and we had requested him to intervene since two judges of Supreme Court of India – Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice R. Gogoi – had misused their powers of superintendence, causing us great harm and unimaginable hardship.

We had made these representations as a last attempt to get some justice and mercifully for us the Hon’ble Home Minister has heard our cry of help and is making attempts to curb and curtail the misdeeds of the trustees and the compromised judges, as well as prevent miscarriage of justice for granting us relief. This is an onerous task requiring great tact, diplomacy and goodwill, and we are extremely grateful to Sri Rajnath Singh-ji who is genuinely trying to help us.

On 25.10.2014 we received two letters from the Govt. of Pondicherry intimating to us that our complaints to the Home Ministry have been forwarded to it, who in turn has directed the Collector and IGP of Pondicherry to take immediate action and send report.

On receipt of these letters on 27.10.2014 we tried to meet first the IGP but he was out of station. But we were informed that due process of law will be followed and we will be kept abreast of things.

Thereafter on 29.10.2014 we went to meet the Collector. Unfortunately he was not available in his office so we were directed to the Special Officer, who gave us a very patient and sympathetic hearing. We also met the Revenue Officer, who intimated to us that our complaint dated 10.06.2014 had reached their office already. Thereafter the Deputy Collector also heard in detail about our stressful circumstances and was considerate enough to assure us that matters would be dealt with expeditiously. We would like to thank all these Officials who have given us some hope.

We pray that the report is submitted soon and gives us much-awaited relief.

These letters are produced hereunder.

Some Corrupt Officers of Pondicherry Police cause Blatant Miscarriage of Justice

Many Officers of the Pondicherry police have been active helpers of the Ashram trustees. To name a few – Mr. J.P. Singh (IPG), Mr. Ananda Mohan (senior officer), Mr. Firoz Zia Hussain (SP North), Mr. Meena (IGP), Mr. N.T.Sivadasan (SP North), Mrs. Thamizharasi (SP), Mr. Srikant (SSP – Law & Order), Mrs. Chhaya Sharma (SSP – C&I), Mr. Varadarajan (SHO – Muthialpet)

But there have also been some upright impartial Police Officers – Mr. Krishnaiah (IGP), Mr. Chandran (SSP – Law & Order), Mr. Baskarane (senior officer)

I am citing instances where we sisters have been denied justice by Pondicherry Police.

1. On 23.03.2001 Hemlata gave a complaint of manhandling and assault but is issued with a Report in Non-Cognizable Offence on 24.03.2001, directing her to seek civil reliefs. (See posting dated 24.03.2001)
2. The complaint dated 05.08.2004 by Arunashri is never taken up. We sent this complaint by RPAD expecting police to play foul. They lived up to our expectations. The police deny having received this complaint but we have postal registration slip and A/D card to prove our point.
3. On 17.09.2004 police dictates complaint to register FIR. Most of Arunashri’s statement is overlooked but at least FIR No.213/2004 is registered. (see posting dated 19.09.2004)
4. On 13.10.2004 police issues summons to Arunashri for production of pornographic chits in FIR 213/2004. But since on the same day they have already received three fresh chits from our rooms at Ambabhikshu House, they don’t take the five original chits which are available with us. We still have them. (See posting dated 14.10.2004)
5. In spite of our repeated visits to Muthialpet police station, where FIR 213/2004 had been registered,  we were not kept informed about the proceedings of the criminal case in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 which was filed based on FIR No.213/2004 before Judicial Magistrate II at Pondicherry. We were never called to the court to give evidence. We were given no opportunity to cross-examine the accused. We came to know about the acquittal of accused first through NHRC’s Order dated 07.11.2005 but no order of acquittal has till date been furnished to us by the Pondicherry police. The only copy which we have received is through the trustees on 04.06.2007 when they filed the said Order of Acquittal in their typeset of documents in C.R.P. No.3314/2007.
6. We were denied food on 22.07.2010 by the trustees using the illegal intimidation of Pondicherry police. Even though Mr. Chandra Mohan (Chief Secretary in 2010) regretted the mistake of the police, they did not help us to restore it by appropriate directions to the trustees.

Produced below is the Order of Acquittal in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 furnished by the trustees to us. The Pondicherry Police buried this Order to harass us and help the trustees. Till date the police has not had the courtesy to give us a copy of this report.

Thank You Dr. Girija Vyas-ji

We wish to gratefully thank the following stalwarts for helping us and giving us some relief at least. How these people in authority helped us in spite of adverse pressure is truly noteworthy. 

1. Dr. Girija Vyas, (ex-Chairperson of NCW, New Delhi and presently MP)
2. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman (present Cabinet Minister)
3. Mrs. Devi Matthews (ex-Director of DWCD, Pondicherry)
4. Mrs. Meena (ex- Deputy Director of DWCD, Pondicherry)
5. Mr. T.M. Balakrishnan, I.A.S. (ex-Secretary (Welfare), Pondicherry)
6. Mr. Vasanthakumar, I.A.S. (ex Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry)
7. Mr. Vijaykumar Bidhuri, I.A.S. (ex Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry)
8. Mr. Ashokan (Assisting Mr. Vasanthakumar and Mr. V. Bidhuri)

Since May 2004 all the five sisters, one after another, began facing degrading, humiliating and traumatic sexual harassment at the hands of trustees' henchmen. Our sexual harassment was masterminded by Nirmal Swain, an inmate-lawyer who got his law degree through dubious means having completed a 3 years course of law in 6 years. He was the gang-leader of the group comprising mainly of his father Bhagawan Das Swain, Krishna Chandra (who assaulted Jayashree), Girish Panda, Santosh Nayak, Shakar @ Sajjal Mitra, Chandramani Patel (who tried to molest Arunashri), Jagabandhu Rout (who I am now told was instrumental in drawing the pornographic cartoons sent to us) and the girl-friends of all these men.

Arunashri and Jayashree gave complaints to Mr. Bhaktavachalam and Mr. Udaybhaskar, (President and Secretary of Bar Association at Pondicherry and both of whom were then representing the Ashram Trustees in Hemlata's criminal case). Our complaints and requests to stop the sexual harassment, though these lawyers, fell on the deaf and sadistic trustees.

We sisters were constrained to meet personally the trustees during their Trust Board meeting on 26.07.2004 and voice our complaint. The trustees openly sided with these men and literally called us names. Their stance exposed their collusion to the sexual harassment faced by us. (See posting dated 26.07.2004)

However on 03.08.2004 when Chandramani Patel tried to molest Arunashri, we got really scared and started giving out written complaints to various authorities who could help us.

1. On 04.08.2004 complaint to Manoj Das Gupta, Managing Trustee of Ashram
2. On 05.08.2004 complaint to Pondicherry Police
3. On 06.08.2004 complaint to National Commission for Women

The then NCW Chairperson Mrs. Poornima Advani, hands over our case to the then newly appointed Chairperson Mrs. S. Kamalini of SWC. We were relieved that at last we are going to get justice only to be thoroughly disillusioned. Without conducting any enquiry, on 19.01.2005, Mrs. Advani and Mrs. Kamalini gave statements to the effect that a report had been given by SCW to NCW finding our complaints of sexual harassment to be false. But they also gave a most revealing direction through the newspapers that men and women in the Ashram should be segregated. (See postings dated 06.10.2004 and 20.01.2005).

In spite of our written request no copy of the alleged report was furnished to us by Mrs. Kamalini (SWC). By then through the devious manipulations of the trustees, an impugned report had been created by them through the most appropriately initiated and conducted enquiry proceedings. Based on this impugned report trustees were trying to expel the five sisters. We were constrained to approach NCW and NHRC (National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi) in the first week of April 2005.

Luckily for us Dr. Girija Vyas had replaced Mrs. Poornima Advani. We met Dr. Girija Vyas (M.P.) and Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman (present cabinet minister) both of whom were genuinely concerned for our welfare. In spite of their thorough search they were unable to unearth the report as reported on 19.01.2005 by Mrs. Poornima Advani and Mrs. Kamalini. So Dr. Girija Vyas reopened our case through the Department of Women and Child Development, Pondicherry (DWCD). This enquiry is still pending with the Pondicherry Government. (See postings dated 19.03.2007, 06.08.2008)

Because of Dr. Girija Vyas, at the first instance, later with the help and concern of all the above-named persons, we have managed to sustain our dignity to a very great extent. All of us thank these upright persons once again for all the help that they have extended towards our welfare.

A Glaring Example of Collusion Between Pondicherry Police and Ashram Trustees

On 21.06.2010, without our knowledge and in our absence Justice K. Venkataraman of Madras High Court passes perverse orders directing we five sisters to accommodate ourselves at Jenny Working Women’s Hostel. Thereafter the trustees send Jayashree an uncertified copy of this order at wrong address. We cannot verify its authenticity and so we take steps to get this order by ourselves from the Madras High Court.

Meanwhile we were secretly informed that trustees are going to stop our food and so on 22.07.2010 at about 12 p.m. together we five sisters go for lunch at Ashram Dining Room. There we see police constables men and women, as well as Matriprasad, Purushottam Kothari, Maya Khandelwal, Jahnavi Ravikanti, among others, waiting for us. The inmates come forward to forcibly stop us and beat Jayashree and me in the process. The police are simply watching the show. We are denied food at the Ashram Dining. We go towards the Lt. Governor’s house to seek a meeting with him. We are chased by the police and land up instead at the Chief Secretariat. By then media persons have arrived and after much ado the Chief Secretary Mr. Chandra Mohan gives us an appointment.

We apprise Mr. Chandra Mohan of how illegally and forcibly the trustees have implemented the order through assault and police intimidation. He calls the SP North one N.T. Sivadasan. Mr. Sivadasan tries to defend himself by spinning a long yarn when in fact he has received money from the trustees for helping them to stop our food. We charged him with this in front of Mr. Chandra Mohan and he did not defend himself. He is given a royal dressing down from Mr. Chandra Mohan, Chief Secretary, but the damage is done and they are both unwilling to undo the damage viz. reversing the denial of food in the Ashram Dining Room.

We have no food to eat. For how long? Anybody's guess.

Magisterial Enquiry Still Pending Before Pondicherry Govt.

To our utter consternation Mr. Vasanthkumar is transferred and our case has gone to sleep. Then on 10.12.2007 a fresh G.O. was issued appointing Mr. Vijaykumar Bidhuri, I.A.S. Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry, as the new enquiry officer for the magisterial enquiry being conducted.

Mr. Vijay Bidhuri pasted a notice dated 21.01.2008 on the pillar inside Ambabhikshu House, wherein we are residing, informing all the residents about the enquiry being conducted. On 22.01.2008 Mr. Vijay Bidhuri came with his team to Ambabhikshu House for inspection, investigation and spot-enquiry. They visited each of our rooms and recorded our statements. During this visit Subhashini Mohanty, who had assaulted Arunashri arrogantly came to interfere with the investigation, whereas Minoty Mohanty condescendingly questioned his authority on behalf of the trustees and claiming to be in-charge of Ambabhikshu House.

We made further representations to Mr. Vijay Bidhuri. Mr. Ashokan, being his assistant, updated him about our case since it had been carried forwarded from Mr. Vasanthakumar. Mr. Vijay Bidhuri conducted an enquiry but before it could be completed he too was transferred from Pondicherry.

This enquiry is still pending with the Pondicherry Government.

Government Order dated 10.12.2007 and Notice dated 21.08.2008 are produced below.

Magisterial Enquiry Ordered by Govt. of Pondicherry

After the statements were reported in ‘The Hindu’ and ‘The Indian Express’, we wrote letter to Mrs. Kamalini requesting for a copy of the report to be furnished to us. Till date no reply has come and neither has any report been furnished to us.

Meanwhile trustees had concocted a false report against all we five sisters based on which the trustees were trying to expel us. Since the starting point of the report was our sexual harassment, to safeguard our interests we were constrained to personally go to Delhi and met NCW Chairperson.

Luckily for us Dr. Girija Vyas had replaced Mrs. Poornima Advani. We met Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson of NCW, and Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, South Zone Head of NCW, both of whom were genuinely concerned for our welfare. In spite of their thorough search they were unable to unearth the report as mentioned on 19.01.2005 news-item, allegedly submitted to Mrs. Poornima Advani by Mrs. S. Kamalini.

Having seen our miserable plight Dr. Girija Vyas decided to reopen our case. We received a letter directing us to appear and submit our complaints to NCW, New Delhi. Since we were not in a position to appear in person, we sent by RPAD our representations dated 21.07.2005 to NCW in Case No.8/4047/04/NCW/JA/CP/179. Thereafter our case had been directed to be investigated by the Department of Women and Child Development, Pondicherry (DWCD).

Mrs. Devi Matthews, the Director of DWCD issued us summons. We appeared before Mrs. Devi Matthews and the Deputy Director Mrs. Meena. Our condition had worsened and they too were shocked at our victimization. Mrs. Matthews asked the trustees to reply in the course of her investigation but they gave very vague answers. The harassment reached another climax when Arunashri was brutally beaten up. (see posting dated 29.12.2006)

We met Mr. T.M. Balakrishnan, I.A.S., Hon’ble Secretary (Welfare), Pondicherry, and Mrs. Devi Matthews on 02.01.2007 at the Chief Secretariat, Pondicherry, expressing our fear, insecurity, harassment and sexual harassment faced by us. They were both very concerned and promised to do something.

Thereafter G.O. dated 23.02.2007 was issued by the Hon’ble Secretary, Mr. T.M. Balakrishnan, directing Mr. Vasanthakumar, I.A.S., Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry, to conduct a magisterial enquiry into our complaints. Today we gave our complaints to him on 19.03.2007. Mr. Ashokan was also present when we presented our case.

Government Order dated 23.02.2007 is produced below.