The Jharkhand High Court has dismissed the bail appeal of a man implicated in an extensive child trafficking enterprise, citing evidence of an inter-state network that abducted young victims to exploit them for forced begging and theft.
A division bench comprising Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay and Justice Arun Kumar Rai issued the ruling on August 3, upholding a lower court decision that denied relief to the accused. The High Court emphasized that the ongoing investigation has exposed a wide-reaching criminal ring operating across multiple state lines, with victims recovered as young as two, three, four, and six years of age.
Interception And Multi-Location Raids
The law enforcement operation originated from intelligence provided by the technical branch and an investigating officer involved in a separate matter. Authorities learned that four individuals, including the appellant, were transporting minors in a vehicle traveling from Ranchi toward Latehar.
Police intercepted the vehicle at Sithio. During subsequent questioning, details emerged regarding additional locations where abducted minors were being held, specifically at Kothar in Ramgarh district and Balumath in Latehar district.
Following these admissions, authorities formed two dedicated police units to conduct coordinated raids. The operation culminated in the successful rescue of 52 children, leading to formal charges against the appellant and several accomplices.
Defense Claims And Family Status
In court, Senior Counsel A K Kashyap, representing the appellant, argued that his client had been in custody since January 18, 2026. Defense counsel contended that although the accused owned residences in Silli and Ramgarh, law enforcement officers recovered no traffic victims from either site.
The defense further submitted that the accused has two wives and five children with each spouse. Counsel maintained that the children identified in connection with the appellant were his biological offspring rather than abducted minors, adding that individuals found at his father’s residence were close family relatives.
Judicial Findings And Criminal History
Upon reviewing the case diary, the bench concluded that the syndicate specifically targeted young children under the age of ten to deploy them in theft and street begging.
The court noted that the appellant had previously delivered a confession identifying Silli as a location where minors were hidden, which directly resulted in police retrieving several victims. Highlighting the suspect’s prior criminal record, the severity of the allegations, and his active role in the trafficking enterprise, the High Court declined to modify the June 8 decision of the Additional Judicial Commissioner cum Special Judge (POCSO Act) in Ranchi, officially rejecting the appeal.
