MP: Collector suspends two officials in connection with children's home running illegally; FIR against operator

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 6 (ANI): Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh on Saturday suspended two officials and issued a show cause notice against two others in connection with an illegally running children's home in the state capital Bhopal.
The suspended officials have been identified as Brijendra Pratap Singh, currently posted in Ganjbasoda, Vidisha district, (formerly posted in Women and Child Development Department, Bhopal) and Komal Upadhyay, posted as project officer in Women and Child Development Department, Bhopal.
Two other officials who received show cause notice have been identified as Sunil Solanki and Ramgopal Yadav, posted in Women and Child Development Department, Bhopal.
Collector Singh told ANI, "A team of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and district administration inspected an illegally running children's home in Tara Sewaniya, Bhopal on January 4. During the inspection, it was found that the children's home was neither registered nor had permission, which was operated by Anil Mathew. 41 girls who were present in the children's home were shifted to a government children's home and made all the necessary arrangements for them."
An FIR was also registered against the operator of the children's home under sections of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and he was being interrogated, he added.
"A total of 67 registration forms of the girls were found from the children's home. It was brought to notice that the remaining 26 girls were returned to their homes after which the police team was deployed to verify it. The team found all the girls are at their homes so the information about the missing girls is not correct. All the girls are safe in their homes and in our government children's home," the Collector said.
He added that the building permission of the children's home was being verified and action would be taken into it. Apart from this two officers were suspended and two others were given show cause notice into the matter.
Besides, investigation about foreign funding related issues and other aspects, including religious conversions at the children's home was also being conducted. Strict action will be taken against whoever found guilty in the matter, he added.
Earlier the FIR was registered at Parwaliya Sadak Police Station in Bhopal under sections of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 in which Anil Mathew - the operator of children's home - as an accused.
The FIR read that of the 68 girls registered at the home, between 6-18 years of age, 26 were found missing. The FIR also states that the children's home was not being run in accordance with Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and was unregistered. (ANI)