Minors drugged and raped by Baba in Ashram:77-year-old retired professor would exploit girls; daughter acted as his accomplice

In Part-1 of Crime Files, you read that on October 1, 2016, two minor girls aged 15-16 years went missing from Madhav Bal Ashram in Shivpuri. Following information from the ashram management, police registered a missing persons case and immediately started the search. Within a few hours, both were recovered from Ashok Nagar, but both appeared frightened. During counseling ordered by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), shocking revelations came to light. The girls revealed that intoxicating substances were mixed in their dinner to make them unconscious, then they were molested and raped. In the morning, their clothes would be disheveled, with pain in their bodies and traces of bleeding, but they couldn’t remember anything. The administration also started counseling other girls. Now the question was – who were the perpetrators? How many girls had endured this pain? Read in this second part of Crime Files… When other girls were called for counseling, ashram director Shaila Agarwal made excuses about bad roads and girls being unwell to avoid it. Police already had suspicions about Shaila, which deepened after this. Police immediately raided the ashram. Girls living in fear, complaint box revealed secrets Complaints received from the Child Welfare Committee’s complaint box started uncovering layers of truth. One complaint contained allegations of obscene acts with a 15-year-old girl. When the specialist counselor team from Gwalior spoke to each girl individually, the picture became increasingly horrifying. On November 16, when 6 girls aged 10 to 17 years gave their statements, even the counselors were left stunned.
One child said fearfully, ‘Whatever I tell will reach Bua (aunt) and she will beat me.’
Fear of ‘Baba’ and ‘Bua’, intimidation through threats and violence Several girls revealed that 77-year-old retired professor K.N. Agarwal, who lived in the ashram and was called ‘Baba’, would call girls to his room and commit inappropriate acts. A 16-year-old victim stated that Baba would touch her, kiss her, and once he even took her to his room, gagged her mouth and raped her. He threatened that if she told anyone, the consequences would be dire. Another girl reported that she would wake up in the morning to find her clothes undone. Something was mixed in the food at night, which caused deep sleep. Serious allegations were also made against Shaila Agarwal, whom the girls called Bua (aunt). Medical Report Confirmed, Case Registered The medical examination confirmed rape of the girls. After this, all the girls were immediately shifted to a government hostel. On November 17, 2016, a case was registered against Shaila Agarwal and her father KN Agarwal under POCSO Act and rape charges. A minor clerk at the ashram was also accused, who absconded after the incident. Absconding, Arrest and an Old Truth
As soon as KN Agarwal got wind of police action, he absconded. His mobile was last located at Pohari bus stand, after which it was switched off. Police formed three teams and started searching for him. On the other hand, on November 30, Shaila Agarwal was arrested. KN Agarwal and the minor clerk were also arrested soon after. Daughter and Father Sentenced to Life Imprisonment, Later Released on Bail After about one and a half years, on May 7, 2018, the Special Court of Shivpuri found KN Agarwal guilty of rape, assault and threatening orphan girls. Along with this, considering his daughter and advocate Shaila Agarwal as an accomplice in this crime, both were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, the clerk was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Against the verdict, Shaila Agarwal and the Professor filed an appeal in the High Court claiming their innocence, on which the final decision is still pending. Meanwhile, after spending approximately 7 years in jail, in January 2024, the High Court, while hearing their petition, suspended the sentence until the final verdict considering their age as the basis and granted bail to both.