New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS): Expressing satisfaction with the attempts and progress made by CBI in the matter, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted the agency permission to freeze the bank accounts of self-styled godman Virender Dev Dixit, who has been absconding for several years while facing multiple rape cases.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula expressed satisfaction with the efforts made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to locate and apprehend Dixit.

A petition was filed in 2017 by NGO Foundation for Social Empowerment, which alleged that Dixit had illegally confined several minor girls and women at his “spiritual university" and thatthe girls were not allowed to meet their parents.

The court perused the status report submitted by the CBI, which outlined the progress made in their pursuit of Dixit.

Notably, the agency identified certain bank accounts linked to the fugitive.

The court commended the CBI's ongoing efforts and allowed them to proceed with freezing the bank accounts in accordance with the law. It granted the CBI an additional six weeks to continue their actions and listed the matter for next hearing in November.

Earlier, on May 31, the court had directed the CBI to take steps to apprehend Dixit. It was brought to the court's attention that Dixit or his followers were uploading videos on various platforms, including YouTube and social media, despite him being a fugitive.

The high court had instructed the CBI to locate Dixit and investigate accusations of illegal confinement, with reports indicating that girls and women were being kept in inhumane conditions behind metal doors within a fortress-like ashram surrounded by barbed wire.

In 2022, the court had asked the ashram to justify why it should not be taken over by the Delhi government and expressed doubts about whether the inmates were living there voluntarily.

It said that no institution had the right to violate the fundamental rights of its inhabitants.