In a strongly worded intervention, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi Police to trace and rescue six missing children “at any cost”, as it took suo motu cognisance of an alarming news report highlighting the sale of newborn babies for lakhs of rupees in the national capital.
A bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan expressed deep concern over the existence of child trafficking gangs in Delhi and its neighbouring areas, asserting that such criminal networks pose a severe threat to society. “Kahin se bhi dhoond ke lao in 6 bacchon ko (Find these six missing kids from anywhere),” the court told the Delhi Police, while demanding immediate and concrete action.
Justice Pardiwala remarked, “Those who kidnap and sell children commit this crime repeatedly. They are more dangerous than murderers.” He underscored that unlike a murder which may have a motive, traffickers operate with repeated and systemic intent, making them a grave danger to public safety.
The bench directed the Delhi Police to identify and arrest the kingpin of the trafficking racket that, according to media reports, is selling newborns for Rs 5 to 10 lakh each. The court observed that many involved are repeat offenders and must be held accountable. “Those selling and buying newborn kids must be made accountable. All of them are accused,” the bench said.
In response to a submission by Delhi Police that some children were sold by their own parents, the court stated that if parents refuse to take back their children once recovered, the responsibility will fall on the state government.
The apex court’s sharp rebuke follows its earlier criticism of the Allahabad High Court for “callously” granting bail to 13 accused in child trafficking cases, many of whom are now absconding. The Supreme Court has cancelled those bail orders, observing that such leniency could embolden trafficking networks.
Justice Pardiwala also stressed the urgent need for preventive measures, stating: “If a newborn goes missing from a hospital, the first step should be to cancel the hospital’s licence.”
The court reiterated its previous directions to all state governments to implement comprehensive guidelines to combat child trafficking, and ordered High Courts across the country to monitor the status of pending trials in such cases. “Any laxity in implementing these directions will be treated as contempt,” the bench warned.
Emphasizing the emotional and psychological toll on families, Justice Pardiwala said: “The pain and agony a parent faces when a child dies is different from when a child is lost to gangs of trafficking… when the child dies, the child is with the Almighty, but when lost, they are at the mercy of such gangs.”
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 2,250 cases of child trafficking were reported in 2022, with the highest numbers from Telangana, Maharashtra, and Bihar. The court’s remarks highlight the growing urgency to dismantle trafficking networks and protect the nation’s most vulnerable.
The matter is slated for further hearing as the Supreme Court continues to monitor developments closely.
