17 Persons Allegedly Forced To Work As Bonded Labourers: MP High Court Orders Registration Of FIR Against Two

Dealing with a Habeas Corpus plea filed by family members of certain persons who were allegedly forced to work as bonded labourers in Maharashtra, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday directed for the registration of an FIR against two persons, accused of employing 17 persons as labourers without paying them wages.

Essentially, the Bench of Justice Vishal Dhagat was dealing with the instant plea filed by Kamla Bai and Jamna Prasad Gond of Jabalpur district and Girwar and Laxman of Seoni district, who submitted before the Court that their family members were being forced to work as bonded labourers in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.

Thereafter, pursuant to the order of the Court, 17 persons were recovered from Gram Panchayat Teraswadi Tehsil Karbi District Kolhapur, Maharastra, and it was submitted before the Court that all of them were allegedly being used as bonded labourers by respondent nos. 8 and 9.

It was also submitted by counsel appearing for the petitioners that respondents 8 and 9 had detained the family members of the petitioners and used them as labourers without paying any wages. 

In view of this submission, at the outset, the Court allowed all the 17 laborers who were produced before it to go back to their houses. Further, the Police Officer present before the Court submitted that action will be taken against respondent nos. 8 and 9 as per law and FIR and case will be registered against them.

Against this backdrop, the Court noted that all the recovered persons live under the jurisdiction of Police Station, District Jabalpur, Seoni, Dhuma, and Lakhnadon, and therefore, respective SHOs were directed to register a case against respondent nos. 8 and 9 in their respective police stations in accordance with the law.

Case title - Kamla Bai and Others v. The State Of Madhya Pradesh And Others 
Case Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (MP) 2

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