HC asks if Karnataka govt wants to form SIT to probe child trafficking

The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to consider if it wants to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe child trafficking in the city.

A High Court bench has passed an order asking the state government to file a detailed response on the report filed by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) on children being employed in selling things at traffic signals.

Directed by a bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, the KSLSA deployed a survey team that collected details of 720 out of 886 children working as hawkers or beggars. It said 534 of those children are begging and 186 are into hawking. Nearly 27 of them are forced into begging or hawking by the mafia.

After perusing the report, the bench said it will issue detailed directions after the state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) submit their affidavits before May 27.

The bench directed the KSLSA secretary to convene meetings of all stakeholders preferably in the third week of May and another after the state government submits its report.

The court said several issues must be considered, including implementing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJ Act).

“The question is why such incidents should happen in the city of Bengaluru and especially the incident of child trafficking,” the bench asked.

“One of the measures which could be taken is revamping all the institutions created under the JJ Act and providing additional infrastructure to all institutions under the JJ Act. We propose to give detailed instructions on these issues,” the bench said.

Unregistered institutions

The bench asked the state government to act against unregistered childcare institutions in the state.

Quoting from the KSLSA report that a government servant (a block education officer by the name of Nagarathna) running an unregistered childcare institute from a government school premises in Vijaynagar, the bench directed both the state government and the BBMP to submit a report on the action taken. The report said the institute houses 14 girls and 19 boys and is facing allegations of sexual abuse and interstate trafficking.

The KSLSA report goes on to mention that 53 unregistered institutions are operating in the state.

Revamp Child Welfare Committees

The bench said the state government must revamp Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) across the state. It also asked the government to hold workshops for CWC members in a phased manner by taking assistance from the Karnataka Judicial Academy.