In a strongly worded observation, the Supreme Court today expressed deep concern over the growing menace of child trafficking and issued a series of directives to strengthen enforcement and accountability.

A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan was hearing a petition challenging the grant of bail to accused individuals in a child trafficking case.

Criticizing the Allahabad High Court’s handling of the matter, the bench remarked that the bail applications had been dealt with in a “callous” manner, resulting in several accused now being untraceable.

“These accused pose a serious threat to society,” the court said, adding that the High Court failed to impose even basic conditions like weekly police attendance. “The police have now lost track of them,” the bench observed.

Justice Pardiwala also rebuked the Uttar Pradesh government for its passive approach. “We are thoroughly disappointed. No appeal was filed, and the matter was handled without any seriousness,” he said. Referring to the main accused, he noted, “It appears the accused longed for a son and paid ₹4 lakh to acquire one. This is no justification — he knew the child had been stolen.”

In response, the court directed all accused in the case to surrender immediately and ordered that they be placed in judicial custody. “Charges must be framed within a week. If any of the accused have absconded, the trial court is to issue non-bailable warrants. The trial must proceed against those who are present without delay,” the court stated.

The bench also laid out a set of detailed recommendations aimed at curbing child trafficking and asked all state governments to implement them without delay. It further directed all High Courts to seek updates on pending trials related to child trafficking in their jurisdictions. “Any laxity in the implementation of these directions will be treated as contempt,” Justice Pardiwala warned.

Highlighting the emotional trauma faced by families, Justice Pardiwala added, “Losing a child to traffickers is a pain beyond measure. When a child dies, they are with the Almighty. But when trafficked, they are at the mercy of inhuman gangs.”

Calling for strict accountability from hospitals, he emphasized that any medical facility from which a newborn goes missing should immediately have its license suspended. “If a baby is trafficked from a hospital, the first step must be the suspension of its license,” he said.

India continues to face a significant challenge in tackling child trafficking, with approximately 2,000 cases reported annually. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 2,250 such cases were registered in 2022, with the highest numbers from Telangana, Maharashtra, and Bihar