SONIPAT: An 11-year-old boy was allegedly molested at Satlok Ashram in Dhanana village, Sonipat, prompting the Baroda police to register a case and arrest a man identified as Sachin, a resident of Kansadi village in Sonipat district.According to the Sonipat Police, the accused was arrested on September 24 and subsequently produced before a court, which sent him to judicial custody.The police action followed information received from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) regarding the alleged incident involving the minor at Satlok Ashram in Dhanana village, Sonipat.According to the police, the CWC chairperson informed Baroda police on September 23 that an 11-year-old boy who had come to Satlok Ashram in Dhanana village, Sonipat, had allegedly been subjected to inappropriate physical contact with sexual intent.A police team reached the location and took the minor into protective care along with his father. The child was subsequently taken to a concerned institution/hospital in Khanpur Kalan for legal assistance, counselling and medical procedures.Police said that during counselling, the child provided information about the alleged incident.Based on the statement given by the child’s father and the information received from the CWC, police registered an FIR at Baroda police station on September 24 under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.The accused, identified as Sachin of Kansadi village, was arrested the same day. Police said he was questioned and further legal proceedings were initiated.He was later produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.DCP says accused was a sevadar at Dhanana AshramDCP (HPS) Gohana Jitendra Gehlawat, while briefing journalists, said Sachin was serving as a sevadar at Satlok Ashram in Dhanana village, Sonipat, and had taken naam diksha from Sant Rampal Maharaj.The police statement, therefore, describes the accused as being associated with the ashram.The Satlok Ashram committee has presented a different account.Committee member Om Prakash Saini said the matter was known to the committee but claimed that the boy from Kansadi village had no connection with the ashram. He also said that the boy had not taken initiation from Sant Rampal Maharaj.According to Saini, a dispute had taken place between the two boys on a bus and nothing happened inside Satlok Ashram in Dhanana village, Sonipat. He claimed that whatever happened occurred outside the ashram premises.Saini also said that the ashram management itself called the police after learning about the matter and that the committee was monitoring the case while the police conducted their investigation.Satlok Ashram spokesperson Rahul also said that, to his knowledge, no such incident had taken place and that misleading information was being circulated. He said he did not have personal knowledge of the matter and therefore could not comment on its details.The police, however, have confirmed the registration of the FIR and the arrest of the accused.The case is now under investigation. Police have said that the minor was provided counselling and that the necessary legal and medical procedures were initiated.
