Govt volunteers to give HC info on crimes against women, kids

 The State government on Friday voluntarily submitted before the High Court that it will furnish any required details about the Devadasi system, bonded labour, human trafficking and other offences against women and children. 

During the hearing of a petition by an 18-year-old girl from Jharkhand who had moved the court seeking action against those who trafficked her to Bangalore, Additional Advocate General A S Ponanna submitted that the government had taken note of the serious offences and decided to put an end to them. The girl was forced to work as a bonded labourer until she was rescued. 

Assuring “full co-operation” of the government, Ponanna said that information on rehabilitation of victims, and schemes and benefits launched by various departments would be furnished. The government will also furnish list of such cases registered, resolved and instages of investigation and important government orders. 

The girl had moved the High Court, seeking direction to the police to register criminal cases against persons involved in trafficking her and the employers who kept her under wrongful confinement, besides necessary measures to rehabilitate her. 

A trafficked person is a victim of multiple crimes and extreme form of abuse and violation of human rights, the girl said, adding that she was forcibly kept as a domestic help without any payment.

 Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri adjourned the hearing with a direction to the petitioner and the government to work out an action plan for her rehabilitation.