Child Beggary: High Court Seeks Detailed Status Report From Delhi Govt On Steps Taken For Rehabilitating Rescued Children

The Delhi High Court has sought a detailed status report from the Delhi Government on the steps taken for rehabilitating children in conflict with law who have been rescued from child beggary and housed in various rehabilitation centres in the national capital.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula also directed the Delhi Government to include in the status report the assessment of long-term impact of such rehabilitation centres on the children under their care.

Observing that it is crucial to examine the impact of various rehabilitation measures in light of “persistence of grave social issue” of child begging, the court granted six weeks’ time to the government to file the detailed response.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Ajay Gautam seeking requisite steps to eradicate the problem of child beggary and related problems in and around the national capital. The plea sought strict implementation of the provisions contained in the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.

During the hearing on September 09, the bench perused the status report filed by Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and noted that certain crucial details in the data furnished were missing, especially with regards to the timelines of operations conducted by child rights’ body.

“Therefore, DCPCR is directed to strictly comply with the order dated 10th May 2023, and furnish year-wise details of operations conducted by it from 2016 to date,” the court said, while listing the matter on October 13.

In his plea, Gautam has sought direction upon the concerned authorities to identify and rehabilitate destitute children who are pushed into begging.

“Begging mafia is actively behind this menace of begging by the children and they in fact they kidnap, train, force and torture innocent children for begging. However, the department who is responsible for curbing this menace, has failed to take any remedial steps,” the plea states.

A direction is also sought to the Station House Officers (SHOs) of all Police Stations in Delhi to take appropriate steps for preventing child begging in the areas under their jurisdiction and a beat officer or division officer be appointed in this regard.

“No child begs for himself. They are forced into it as a part of organized crimes… These children are given daily targets. They are abused, subjected to violence," the plea added.

Case Title: Ajay Gautam v. Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights & Ors.

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