Delhi Commission For Women Archives - Lokmarg

Honest Punished, Thieves Are Enjoying: Swati Maliwal

By LokMarg 9th December 2022

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal, who is charged with corruption and criminal conspiracy, on Friday, said that honest people in the country have to prove their honesty while thieves are enjoying.

The DCW chief took to Twitter, “Those who work honestly have to prove their honesty, while thieves enjoy in this country. Handled lakhs of cases, saved hundreds of girls from trafficking, got liquor-drug mafia arrested, and stood with the poor. This is my only crime. As long as I am alive, I will keep fighting.”
https://twitter.com/SwatiJaiHind/status/1601144740283838465?s=20&t=Mxg1A6ogyi29P5H1YPxgAQ

Her reaction came after a special court on Thursday ordered the framing of corruption and criminal conspiracy charges against Swati Maliwal. The court had found prima facie sufficient material that the accused had abused their official position in allegedly appointing Aam Admi Party (AAP) workers to different posts in the commission.

Earlier, on Friday former Delhi Commission for Women chief Barkha Shukla pointed at the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) involvement in the appointment of members in the body while also alleging that there was no conduct of educational checks during their recruitment.

“It’s AAP’s fraud. It’s all happening under the Aam Aadmi Party’s watch. They do what they want. The level of education and social work experience of appointees weren’t checked before making a person a member. I complained in 2015, the result has come now,” she said.

Along with DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal, the court also ordered to put the members of DCW Promila Gupta, Sarika Chaudhary, and Farheen Malick on trial.

According to the prosecution, all the four accused in the conspiracy were together involved in abusing their official position and obtaining pecuniary advantages for the party workers and acquaintances of Swati Maliwal as well as the ruling party namely AAP. (ANI)

UP: Woman Gangraped In Gzb, 4 Detained

By LokMarg 19th October 2022

Four persons have been detained in connection with the alleged abduction and gang rape of a 38-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, police said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) has issued a notice to the Ghaziabad Police to furnish a copy of the FIR along with details of the arrested accused and a report of the action taken report by October 21.
The woman was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped for two days. She was found in a pool of blood, with an iron rod inserted in her private parts, a statement by the DCW read Delhi Commission for Women statement said.

According to the police, they were intimated of the gangrape in a complaint filed by the woman. “We got the information about the gang rape two days ago in which a woman had complained about the incident. As per the rape survivor, all the accused were known to her and a property dispute between the two has come to light,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) City Ghaziabad Nipun Aggarwal.

The woman was allegedly abducted while she was returning from a birthday party on September 16. She told police that five men in Ghaziabad gang-raped her over two days.

SP City (Ghaziabad) said: “On October 18, police in Nandgram, Uttar Pradesh received information that a woman was lying near Ashram Road. They took her to the hospital. She’s a resident of Delhi and had come to her brother’s residence in Nandgram.”

“After her brother dropped her off, five people -who were known to her- took her away and gang raped her. An FIR has been registered. Four people have been nabbed. It is being said that they have a property dispute and the matter is sub-judice. We’re taking all necessary action,” the police official said.

Meanwhile, DCW Chief Swati Maliwal in the notice sent by the commission to Ghaziabad Police said: “They brutally gang raped her and continued to rape and torture her for two days. They even inserted an iron rod inside her private parts. After that, they hid her in a jute bag and threw her out of the road. The woman was found in a pool of blood with an iron rod still inside her.”

“When the woman was admitted to the hospital, the rod was removed with great difficulty; the woman is now fighting for her life. We have issued a notice… there should be a swift arrest and strict action taken. This case is just like the Nirbhaya case… It is my appeal that at least this case be fast-tracked and these men are given severe punishment,” Maliwal said.

Responding to DCW Chief, the Ghaziabad police officials said that four people have been detained in the case.

Refuting the DCW chief’s claims about an iron rod being inserted in the survivor’s private parts, Ghaziabad city SP, Aggarwal said, “We have not found any iron rod, but a tongue cleaner was found and the police case has been registered at Nandigram police station”.

The accused have been taken into custody and further investigation is being carried out.

Further details on the matter are awaited. (ANI)

DCW Summons Twitter India, DP On Sharing Child Pornography, Rape Videos

By LokMarg 20th September 2022

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has summoned Twitter India and Delhi Police officials over alleged videos of child pornography and rape being shared on the social media platform.

DCW took suo moto cognizance of several alleged tweets on the social media platform Twitter displaying child pornography.

“Videos of child pornography were shared on Twitter and were sold for Rs 20. Twitter is yet to delete them and report it further. We have summoned the head of Twitter India and have sought a report. We have also summoned Delhi Police and have sought immediate action,” DCW chief Swati Maliwal told ANI.

DCW said these tweets are openly depicting videos and photographs of sexual acts involving children.

In its letter to Twitter India and Delhi Police, the Commission said “Almost all the tweets are portraying children completely naked and many of them also depict brutal rape and other non-consensual sexual activities with children and women. Shockingly, some of these videos even depict rape with children and women while they are asleep!”

“Some of the twitter accounts engaging in these criminal acts appear to be running a racket wherein they seek money for providing pornographic and rape videos of children and women from other users of the social media platform,” said DCW.

The Commission claimed there appear to be hundreds of such objectionable videos on the social media platform which are openly displaying child pornography and rape videos of women and children.

DCW said it is deeply distressing that such illegal acts involving sexual abuse of children and young women are being publicized openly through the social media platform Twitter.

The Commission said it wishes to ascertain the steps being taken by Twitter to

prevent such “filthy and outrightly criminal acts” being propagated through its medium as well as the systems in place in the platform to immediately report the same to law enforcement agencies.

“Now therefore you are hereby summoned to appear before the Commission for the

purpose aforementioned on September 26. If you fail to comply with this order without lawful excuse, you will be subjected to the consequences of non-attendance as provided in law,” stated DCW. (ANI)

‘Tardy Justice Breeds Calls For Extra-Judicial Killings’

By LokMarg 2nd January 2020

Shaina, 33, a resident of Loni area in Delhi-NCR, was returning from college on August 11, 2009, when she was attacked with acid by a jilted lover. An activist for women’s rights, she demands speedy justice in crimes against women and death penalty for rapists.

I cannot forget that day. It was a beautiful evening. I was feeling a cool breeze after a spell of rain. I was returning from my college classes unaware of how things would change for me from that day onward. A man had been stalking me for several months and had proposed me time and again for marriage. That day he was on a two-wheeler with an accomplice. As soon as he came in front of me, I thought he would try to convince me once again. I was wrong. Angered by taking a no to his moves, he had carried a bottle of acid with him, which he threw on my face.

The pain was unbearable. Even while in pain, I tried to catch hold of him but he escaped. I felt my skin was melting and I cried for help. The passers-by were also shocked as they be seeing such a horrific incident in person for the first time.

They took me to the hospital but by that time, my face was had been severely damaged. The treatment was long and costly and even though I survived, I could not find the courage to see my face in mirror.

I fought a long legal battle and today both the attackers are behind the bars, serving life imprisonment.

That incident happened more than a decade ago. But when I look at social scenario today, not much has changed in these ten years. Like me, all the women who faced similar or more heinous crime, have to wait for years to get justice. Families of those who were raped and killed, like Nirbhaya, have to live often with disgrace, agony and pain. Laws after laws are being passed but the prevention of crime against women is not possible with a tardy justice system.

This is why most people, including me, feel that the Hyderabad Police is probably right in having killed the rapists and murderers of Dr Reddy, even though it has set a wrong precedent. What will the policemen do if the judicial system takes so long to hang such monsters?

The rapists and murderers of Nirbhaya are still in jail for years even after being awarded the capital punishment. One mercy petition after another is being filed for them to buy time. How long the parents of Nirbhaya seek justice? There has to be an end. There has to be a fear of law among such criminals. Without eminent threat of death, such heinous cases are hard to be prevented.

Not only the justice system but the police too needs to act fast on such complaints. There should be no laid back attitude by the agencies and immediate disciplinary action must be taken against those officers who are delaying investigation.

Today my life’s only aim is to fight against atrocities against women. I know I have lost a lot of things in life but the acid attack has given me a new motive to carry on. I am working with the Delhi Commission for Women as a Mahila Panchayat member and giving strength and providing all possible aid to women who face violence and sexual assault. Hope the governments work together in strengthening of laws, courts and police for effective action and quick justice in all such cases.

‘I Couldn’t Look Into The Mirror For Four Months’

By LokMarg 8th September 2018

In November 2005, Mohini, 23, looked forward to join work with a private firm and contribute to her family income. However, a bitter man who couldn’t take no to his proposal, poured a jugful of acid on her dreams, literally. After chemical burns treatment, Mohini battled mental trauma and stigma. But, she decided to face the world as a survivor, not victim. Her story

It was an early morning in November, 2005. The haze of Diwali had not subsided. The air was still pregnant with the smell of burnt crackers. Accompanied by my father, I hailed an auto-rickshaw to reach Delhi Inter State Bus Terminus. I was scheduled to board a bus to Jaipur and join work the next day. As we drove out, I saw my neighbour standing at the end of the lane. I tried not to look at him.

This man and I had a history of sorts. Not long ago, he had promised to get me a job and had taken away my original certificates. But it was just a ploy for him to get close to me. He refused to return my certificates, until I accept his marriage proposal. He professed his ‘undying love’ several times and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Harassed and beleaguered, I filed a police complaint against him to retrieve my document.

On that morning, I chose to look the other way as our auto neared him. The next minute, I could only see fumes around me. Those fumes were emanating from my body. I felt something burning and melting away; it was my skin!

I screamed in pain. I couldn’t move, I lay there writhing in agony. A huge crowd gathered by then. A woman came running with a bed-sheet to cover me, my clothes had burnt off. We were rushed to the hospital. I was to find out later that my stalker had splashed a jug-full of acid on our auto-rickshaw and fled the spot. My father and the auto-driver suffered burns as well.

Chemical burns treatment is lengthy and expensive. Though I was getting treated at Lok Narayan Jai Prakash Hospital, a government facility, I had to purchase most of the costly ointments and medicines from private shops.My father too could not join work for six months due to his injuries.Our resources dried up.We had to borrow money from friends and relatives.

Even after I was discharged from the hospital, the mental trauma remained. I avoided people, even those who came to enquire about my health. For about four months, I dared not go near a mirror. I was too scared to look at myself in the mirror. One day, I mustered courage to look at my new face. The horror of seeing my disfigured face for the first time is something I will never recover from. A stranger with a burnt face stared back at me in the mirror.

I would be lying if I said that I never thought of ending my life. I had no one but my parents to support me.Friends faded away, relatives moved on. Worse, many of the people passed judgements like if I had married the man, I would not have ended up in this state. All my fault.

For two years, I went into a self-imposed exile. I refused to interact with anyone. Then one day, my mother posed me a question: ‘Who will take care of you after we are gone?’ That question brought me out of my denial. It was time I took control of my life and faced my fears.

The next day, I stepped out and went to the local market. I had prepared myself to accept all possible reactions – pity, fright, cringing, stares and looking away. I was ready to face the world. Next, I began applying for jobs and in 2009, landed myself a job as a tele-caller with a telecom company. Initially, I would get nervous at work, even dial wrong numbers. It was through one such wrong numbers that I met Gaurav, who would be my husband.

For a long time that we spoke to each other I did not tell him about my condition and the incident that had led to it. After our friendship reached a certain level of trust, I told him about myself. Our bond grew stronger. Then one day, he proposed marriage.

We got married in 2014, nine years after the horrible incident. My husband changed the perception I was holding towards men. He gave me space to grow and made me regain my confidence.

After marriage I left my job as a tele-caller. Meanwhile, I had applied for compensation at the legal aid department in Delhi Commission for Women. However, my application was rejected on the grounds that the Supreme Court had allowed compensation for acid attack survivor cases post-2011 only.

I went to DCW chairperson as a complainant and I came back home with a new hope. The commission had opened employment opportunities for the acid attack survivors. I applied for one of the openings. DCW chief Swati Maliwal played a huge role in boosting my morale. After a series of interviews, I bagged the job at the help desk.

I love my job. I am the first point of contact for distressed women in DCW. I can connect with the complainants and they too confide in me. Their reaction and praises give me a sense of purpose in life. I also have another purpose in my life, raising my two-year-old son as a man who respects women.