women

Baramati police

Lata Vasantrao

iceberg

Rita

Rajendra Chavan

Rambhau Motiram Chaugule

heart

official

Pune Mirror

SI Chandrakant Kamble

Baramati Taluka police

state commissioner

WCD Rajendra Chavan

probationary officer

A prominent orphanage for girls in Baramati — Mahila Swikar Kendra — is in the spotlight for running a child marriage racket. The orphanage comes under the purview of theand child development department (WCD); interestingly, one of the marriages of a minor girl was conducted not too far from the orphanage itself where she was housed. The exposé came to light whenfiled a charge sheet againstRathod, superintendent of Mahila Swikar Kendra, for helping conduct an alleged child marriage of an orphan girl.This, however, say cops, is only the tip of the, as there are allegedly at least 15 other cases that are slated to be investigated.The wedding of 15-year-old(name changed to protect her identity) allegedly took place under Rathod’s supervision in January 2011, to which officials of WCD turned a blind eye.Three years later, an FIR was lodged at the Baramati police station in January 2015 by Hiralal Genbapu Kadam, a former employee of WCD, who claims that at the time of the event he had urged the WCD commissionerto put a stop to it. Now, a departmental inquiry has been initiated against Rathod and the orphanage.According to police investigations, it is revealed that the minor was forcefully asked to marry a man twice her age, who was working at a labour camp at the time. She was allegedly threatened by Rathod that if she negated the alliance, she would be thrown out of the orphanage, following which she agreed to the proposal. It is further revealed that no permission was sought from the department while performing this and 15 such marriages since 2008.The case came to the fore when the girl returned to the orphanage in 2013, complaining about ill-treatment by her husband, fuelled by his addiction to alcohol. This is when Kadam, who had since retired from WCD, filed the complaint with the department and Baramati police station. According to the complaint, Rathod was deputed at Mahila Swikar Kendra between 2005 to April 2013. The girl was brought from Mahila Sewagram, Pune. She was 15 at the time, while her prospective groom,, a resident of Gunawadi in Baramari taluka, was 34. Rathod helped perform the marriage despite knowing the facts. The marriage was held at the boys’ remand home, which is located at theof Baramati city.When she was shifted from Pune, Rathod was deputed as her chaperone, and the responsibility of her wellbeing and her future career objective rested with her. In her statement to the police, Rita stated that Rathod refused to let her take a course in nursing, and forced her to marry Chaugule on January 24, 2011, in the presence of local political party leaders. Permission from WCD was not sought, which is mandatory.“At the time, despite informing about this alliance and other such marriages that were taking place, authorities failed to take cognisance. It was almost as if the department was entrusted with the duty of performing illegal marriages,” said the complainant Kadam. “The government-run Mahila Swikar Kendra, has performed 18 such marriages of the girls, all against government resolutions and without any permission from the WCD commissioner.” The retired WCDfurther alleged that under the garb of marital alliances, much financial dealings are known to take place.Speaking toofstation said, “We have filed a case under Section 11 (1) of Child marriage Act 2006, and a charge sheet against Rathod last week. Our investigation has revealed that the marriage had actually taken place.”Kamble further added that before her arrest, the culprit had sought an anticipatory bail from court. But regardless of that, she will have to face trial now. “We have yet to receive formal complaints about similar cases from the department. When complaints are made, we will start our inquiry,” he said.Pune Mirror visited the orphanage and WCD on Tuesday and spoke to people there, who confirmed the marriage. An employee from WCD, who did not wish to be named, said, “It is alarming how Rathod was not suspended after this act. No inquiry was held against her either. The articles which were supposed to given away to the couple were also not given to these girls.”Whileofwas not available to comment on the issue, an official from the department said that Rathod was, in fact, facing disciplinary action. Pramod Nikalhe, districtof WCD, said, “Few people are suspended in this case and a departmental enquiry is going on. All 15 marriages will be probed, but I cannot speak about its status right now.” When we called Rathod, all she said was, “The information given about me is incorrect. The case is pending in the court. I will be able to speak about it only after the verdict is out.”