Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court termed the incident a “wake-up call” for the state and warned of serious consequences if past directives in the Bachpan Bachao Andolan case are not followed.
The escape of nine girls from Vidyadeep correction home has triggered judicial concern over conditions in all child care institutions across Maharashtra. Taking suo motu cognizance of Lokmat Time’s July 1–7 coverage, the bench of Justice V. V. Kankanwadi and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh converted the news series into a PIL on July 8 and issued key interim directions.
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Key court directives
1. Submit, with affidavit, the timeline for legally shifting the girls to licensed child care homes, since Vidyadeep’s license has expired.
2. File a compliance report, under affidavit, on steps taken per Bachpan Bachao Andolan directives.
3. Clarify action taken on the 2023 Child Welfare Committee’s letter to Cantonment police about alleged abuse at Vidyadeep.
4. Ensure the investigation under Crime No. 287/2025 is conducted per the Juvenile Justice Act, and submit an affidavit within a week.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 25.
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Government’s Stand:
Amicus curiae Prashant Katneshwarkar filed the petition as per the court’s instruction. Chief Public Prosecutor Amarjitsingh Girase informed the court that an FIR was registered at Cantonment police station on July 9, and three arrests have been made so far. The Women and Child Development Department has also been directed to shift the girls to another approved institution.