Sewa Nyaya Utthan foundation
Service. Justice. Inclusion
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint filed by Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation (SNU) against a so-called “Prarthana Bhawan” operating from BP-8, West Patel Nagar, Above IndusInd Bank, Delhi, over claims of miraculous healing of illnesses and relief from personal hardships through faith and prayers.
Our complaint said that the centre has been targeting economically vulnerable residents through pamphlets promising solutions to health and personal problems through participation in their prayer meetings.
The complaint, submitted before NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo, arose from a field investigation conducted by SNU volunteers in a jhuggi colony in Punjabi Bagh, where we found pamphlets mentioning Zion Global Worship Centre’s West Patel Nagar centre being circulated among Hindu residents.
The pamphlets promised relief from illnesses, suffering, and personal difficulties through faith alone. They also encouraged recipients to accept “Yeshu” as their saviour and contained the following declaration:
“I am a born sinner. I believe that Yeshu came into this world 2,000 years ago, died for my sins, was resurrected, and is alive. I accept Him as my Saviour.”
During our inquiry, local residents identified a woman named Pramila Devi as being involved in distributing the pamphlets within the Punjabi Bagh settlement.
We also recorded the statement of a resident named Sanjay, who informed us that he had attended gatherings at the centre after being approached by Pramila Devi. According to his statement, a pastor placed his hand on his forehead during a prayer session and encouraged him to accept Jesus. Sanjay further stated that participants were led to believe that acceptance of the faith could help resolve illnesses and personal difficulties.
On 11 June 2026, an SNU team visited West Patel Nagar where representatives of the centre acknowledged that the pamphlets had been printed and distributed by them.
We have also submitted video recordings to the Commission in which individuals associated with the centre can be seen claiming that illnesses are miraculously cured through prayers conducted at the premises and through belief in Jesus.
In our complaint, we argued that such representations warrant investigation under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, which prohibits advertisements and representations relating to magical remedies and miraculous cures.
We further requested that authorities examine whether economically vulnerable Hindu persons are being subjected to religious inducement through promises of healing, deliverance from illness, and relief from personal hardships.
Our complaint notes that the targeted population consists largely of residents of low-income jhuggi settlements, many of whom face significant health, financial, and social challenges. We have argued that such circumstances make them particularly vulnerable to extraordinary claims of supernatural healing and deliverance.
Invoking Article 51A(h) of the Constitution of India, which calls upon every citizen to develop scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform, we submitted that the unchecked propagation of miracle-healing claims risks encouraging vulnerable individuals to rely on supernatural assurances in place of evidence-based medical treatment.
Through our complaint, we have sought directions for registration of an FIR, a detailed investigation into the activities of the centre and associated individuals, examination of possible inducement and exploitation of vulnerable residents, and an action-taken report from the concerned authorities.
The NHRC’s decision to take cognisance brings the matter under formal scrutiny and marks the beginning of institutional examination of the evidence submitted by us.
