Rajasthan High Court Directs State To 'Intensify' Action To Trace Advocate's Missing Daughters, Govt Constitutes SIT

The court was hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by Jaipur-based Advocate Avdesh Kumar Purohit, whose two minor daughters have been missing from Lai C. M. Senior Secondary School, Kartarpura, Jaipur since Feb 3, 2022. An FIR was also lodged on the same day. The last location of the minor girls was reported in Lucknow.

The court pursued that positive steps are being taken to trace out the detenues and it directed the respondents to intensify the action in this regard.

Justice Prakash Gupta and Justice Birendra Kumar, observed,

"From perusal of the same, it appears that positive steps have been taken to trace out the detenues, who are yet to be traced. The respondents are directed to intensify the action to trace out the detenues."

The petitioner submitted that a cyber person has not been included in the Special Investigation Team.

The counsel for the petitioner further submitted that the police authorities are required to take help of the officer namely Shri Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, IPS, DCP (Special Cell), Delhi Police, who is an expert in such matters, but his help has not been taken by the police. In such circumstances, it was added that effective steps have not been taken to recover the detenues. He further submitted that despite the location of the detenues from Lucknow, no team has been sent there to recover the detenues.

Mr. Mridul Kachhawa, IPS, DCP (South) informed the court that WhatsApp call details are not available on the server of the Company. He submitted that Cyber person has already been included in the aforesaid team. If the need arises, help of Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, IPS, DCP (Special Cell), Delhi Police would be taken, he added.

The counsel appearing for the State submitted a team has been sent to Lucknow. She also submitted the affidavit of Shri Bhopal Singh, Asstt. Commissioner of Police, Sodala, Jaipur alongwith factual report of the matter.

Protests By The Bar Association

The Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, Jaipur along with District Bar Association, Jaipur earlier protested against state administration's alleged failure to find two minor daughters.

The HCBA has decided to offer a cash reward of Rs. 51,000 to the person who gives information about the girls.

Moreover, on March 19, 2022, the Bar Association, Jaipur has also written a letter to the Chief Minister of the state. It was stated in the letter that the Bar Association, Jaipur and the District Advocates Bar Association, Jaipur will hold a collective protest at Gate No. 1 and 2 of District and Sessions Court, Jaipur.

The aforesaid letter alleged that it is the duty of the Rajasthan Police to protect the minor children of the state, however, the Police has failed to fulfil its duty.

Adv. Anil Upman, Adv. Girraj P. Sharma and Adv. Manoj Bhardwaj appeared for the petitioner. G.S. Rathore, GA-Cum-AAG and Alka Bhatnagar, Addl. Govt. Counsel appeared for the respondents. Mr. Mridul Kachhawa, IPC, DCP (South), Mr. Bhopal Singh, ACP, Sodala and Mr. Dinesh Kumar, I/C Police Station Mahesh Nagar, Jaipur also appeared during the hearing.

Case Title: Avadesh Kumar Purohit v. The State Of Rajasthan & Ors.