Calcutta High Court Seeks WB Govt's Reply Over Measures Which Can Be Taken To Prevent Child Trafficking

The Calcutta High Court last week asked the West Bengal State Government to file an affidavit disclosing the measures which can be taken to avoid Child Trafficking incidents in the future.

The Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Kesang Doma Bhutia sought the details on the above-mentioned subject while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed raising the issue of child trafficking in the state.

The PIL, moved by petitioner in person Rama Prasad Sarkar, referred to the alleged child trafficking racket busted in Salkia, Howrah on 20th November 2021 and it also raised the grievance that no proper action has been taken in respect thereof.

Further, the PIL prayed for a direction to the State Government with regard to taking of appropriate measures so that such incidents may not take place in future.

Regarding, the alleged Child Trafficking racket busted in Salkia, Howrah, the Advocate General informed that a case had been registered under the provisions of IPC, POCSO and Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act and arrests have been made.

Against this backdrop, the Court gave him time to file an appropriate affidavit disclosing the relevant details and posted the matter for further hearing on February 28, 2022.

Essentially, the PIL alleged that the child trafficking racket busted in Salkia, Howrah was being run by the daughter-in-law of the former deputy mayor of Howrah municipality.

The PIL plea claimed that Police have arrested nine people including homeowner Gitashree Adhikari in this incident and at least twenty children have been rescued from the Salkia home center and Howrah Police have also interrogated Minati Adhikari, former deputy mayor of Howrah.  

The PIL plea also submitted that the West Bengal Government had failed to adequately address the possibilities of recurrence of the child trafficking incidents. Further, the PIL plea claims that since the local police have not been able to make much progress in the case, therefore, the case be probed by independent probe agencies like CBI.

Case title - Rama Prasad Sarkar v. The State of West Bengal & Ors. 

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