‘Misuse of children for personal agenda’: NCPCR asks Delhi Police to take action against political leaders

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the Delhi Police seeking inquiry and necessary action against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and AAP's Raghav Chadha and Atishi for allegedly posting a "picture of minor" on Twitter in "furtherance of political agenda".

In its letter, the commission also observed that the image allegedly uploaded by the leaders was in order to divert attention in the ongoing/pending investigation by CBI against Manish Sisodia". While Chadha and Raut are Rajya Sabha members, Atishi is an MLA of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.

Sisodia, who had 18 portfolios in the Delhi government, including education, resigned from the Cabinet following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.

The apex child rights body said it has received a complaint regarding social media posts of Raut and Chadha who have uploaded images on their Twitter handles wherein AAP leader and state education minister Manish Sisodia is seen with minor children in schools.

"To initiate inquiry and take necessary action against Shri Sanjay Raut and Shri Raghav Chaddha for posting 'picture of minor' on Twitter in furtherance of political agenda" was the subject of the letter to the Delhi Police commissioner with a copy also addressed to the Delhi chief secretary. The commission has asked the Delhi Police to take appropriate action under the Juvenile Justice Act.

"It is alleged that the said image is uploaded by Sanjay Raut and Raghav Chadha in order to divert attention in the ongoing/pending investigation by CBI against Manish Sisodia in Delhi liquor policy case in furtherance of their personal agenda," the NCPCR said.

"It is observed that the images uploaded by Sanjay Raut and Raghav Chadha may have been taken during a function/programme organised in the school but it seems that the same is used by them without consent of the parents/guardian of the minors," it said in the letter dated February 27.

In Atishi's case, the NCPCR has asked that an FIR be registered against her for "misusing her position and power for her personal agenda by involving children, posting and using images of minors without their consent".

"Therefore, in view of the sensitivity of the matter, the commission requests your good offices to investigate the matter urgently by lodging an FIR against Atishi Singh for misusing her position and power for her personal agenda by involving children, posting and using images of minors without their consent," the NCPCR said in its letter to the commissioner of police and chief secretary dated March 3.

The commission also observed that the posts allegedly uploaded by Raut, Chadha and Atishi, showing images of children, clearly indicates "misuse of the children for personal agenda".