Girl Kidnapped From UP Traced By Delhi Police; Supreme Court Says 'Reflection Of UP Police'

After the minor girl remained untraced for two months, Supreme Court had on Wednesday had asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to hand over the investigation records to the Delhi police and had directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to oversee the investigation.

A Bench comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar was informed by Additional Solicitor General Rupinder Singh Suri, appearing for the Delhi Police, that after the UP Police handed over the case papers to Delhi Police on Thursday, the Delhi Police went to Kolkata and traced both the minor girl and her abductor.

"This is certainly a reflection of the State UP Police. The state did not go for so long and they wanted 2 months further time, without realizing seriousness of the matter, and the urgency involved", the bench orally commented.

Pursuant to the information, the Bench has directed the Delhi Police to take follow up steps to ensure relevant evidence including medical reports, if any, are placed before the court along with a compliance report. Further, the Delhi Police has been asked to hand over custody of the minor girl to the petitioner-mother after doing necessary formalities on being brought to Delhi.

During the hearing, ASG Rupinder Singh Suri submitted that, "This Court's intervention has brought happy results, Yesterday UP Police gave the papers. A select team was made and went to Calcutta. The boy has been arrested and recovered lady is under their protection. The Police has done a great job".

Advocate Amit Pai appearing for the petitioner submitted that the court must lay down guidelines as to how to act in such cases.

"Police is expected to look for rescue victims. Is it necessary for Supreme Court or High Court to say that?" the bench remarked.

"Mr Suri has reported to us that person concerned has been arrested and girl has been traced. Let compliance report be filed and we will decide what is to be done. Whatever is required to be done", the bench orally observed.

The Court was considering a habeas corpus petition filed by the missing girl's mother, suspecting a Delhi-resident to be the kidnapper

On the last occasion, the petitioner's counsel Advocate Amit Pai had submitted before the bench that it is highly unfortunate that the girl has not been traced so far. The petitioner is working as a domestic maid in Delhi, and the suspect had been trying to lure and seduce her minor daughter for long. With respect to that, she had lodged a complaint before the Malviya Nagar Police station in Delhi.

He had informed the Court that in July, while the petitioner was with her husband's family at Gorakhpur along with her daughters, the eldest daughter went missing.

According to the petition, the younger daughter overheard certain phone conversations between the suspect and her sister, where the former was threatening her with dire consequences if she did not come to his flat in Delhi. Soon after this conversation, the girl went missing.

The petitioner alleged that though a complaint was soon made before the Gorakhpur police, they did not take any prompt steps. In this backdrop, the habeas corpus petition was filed in the Supreme Court, voicing the apprehension that the girl might be sexually abused or be trafficked into sex trade.

The Bench had expressed unhappiness with the failure of the UP Police in tracing the girl. In response, the counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh, Advocate Anuvrat Sharma, told the bench that the state police is taking diligent steps and the investigation's pace is affected due to the inter-state ramifications. The counsel sought for two months time to complete the investigation.  The girl is now suspected to be in West Bengal and the police has collected the Call Detail Records (CDR), the counsel added.

The Bench had then decided to hand over the investigation either to the CBI or to the Delhi Police.

The Bench had also passed a direction to the Gorakhpur police to share the entire investigation records to Malviyanagar Police(Delhi) by the next day. It also directed the Delhi police commissioner to ensure further investigation to trace out the missing girl.