HC directs DGP to search for people missing from Shirdi

Aurangabad, Nov 7:

The devotees going to Shirdi to pay obeisance to Sai Baba, including men, women, and children, are missing in large numbers. Hence, the Aurangabad division bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice B U Dbadwad directed the Director-General of Police (DGP) to take adequate measures by establishing special teams to search the missing devotees coming to Shirdi.

The order further stated that it should be investigated whether the gangs active in human trafficking and smuggling of the human organs are active behind the devotees'' missing. The next hearing on this petition will be held on November 24.

A resident of Indore, Manojkumar Soni, has submitted a Habeas Corpus petition in the division bench. In August 2017, Soni’s wife and two children had come to Shirdi, but his wife was missing since then. He had lodged a complaint at the Shirdi police station. Later, he persuaded the investigation about his wife''s missing case, but did not receive any response.

During the hearing on the petition on several occasion at the division bench, the superintendent of police of Ahmednagar was called and directed to submit the report.

In the recent hearing, the SP was asked to present a report of the missing people and he had submitted it but was not satisfactory. Hence, the bench issued the aforesaid order to the DGP.

Adv Sushant Dixit appeared for the petitioner while Adv K S Patil for the government.