New Delhi: Days after it passed strictures on all states to crack down on child traffickers, the Supreme Court, on Monday, ordered the Delhi Police to rescue six missing children at ‘any cost’. The Court has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports referring to the sale of newborns in the national capital for lakhs of rupees.
“Kahin Se Bhi Dhoond Lao In 6 Baccho Ko (Find these six children from anywhere),” the bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan ordered.
Justice Pardiwala observed that “Those who kidnap and sell children commit this crime repeatedly. They are more dangerous than murderers,” underscoring the fact that unlike a murderer, who has a motive and does not murder again if her/his purpose is served, traffickers operate with repeated and systemic intent, making them a grave danger to public safety.
“Those buying and selling children must be made accountable. All of them are accused,” the bench observed when it was pointed out that some parents sell newborns to traffickers.
A few days ago, the Supreme Court had come down hard on the Allahabad High Court for granting bail to 13 people accused of child trafficking. Many of them are now absconding. The Supreme Court cancelled the bail orders and observed that such leniency could embolden trafficking networks. It was during this hearing that the Court directed all states to take measures against trafficking and cancel the licences of hospitals from where newborns go missing.
The National Crime Records Bureau reported 2,250 cases of child trafficking in 2022. The highest numbers were from Telangana, Maharashtra and Bihar.
