Supreme Court seeks Centre's response to plea seeking measures to curb child trafficking

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Central government's response to a plea seeking measures to tackle organised rackets involved in kidnapping and trafficking of children for illegal adoption and other forms of exploitation [Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v Union of India and Ors.].

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued notice to the Union of India and other concerned authorities on the plea.

Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay submitted that human trafficking has taken various forms of exploitation, with child trafficking increasing over the years.

Relying on the Supreme Court's 2025 judgment in Pinky v State of Uttar Pradesh, Upadhyay said children were being trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging, petty crimes, armed conflict, child marriage and child labour. He also submitted that children were being abducted for forced conversion.

He further argued that trafficking for forced labour was rising at an alarming level and that safeguards available to children under the juvenile justice system were themselves being exploited for committing heinous crimes.

He sought notice on the plea and requested that it be tagged with an existing matter in which the Supreme Court is monitoring the registration of FIRs in cases of missing persons.

"Earlier, there used to be a 'Ghumshuda' report. This Court has now directed that an FIR must be registered. That matter is still pending and this Court has issued notice to all States and is monitoring it," submitted Upadhyay.

Justice Mohana, however, noted that several government initiatives and schemes have already been introduced to address such issues.

"A lot of initiatives and schemes have already been introduced by the government, including Beti Bachao. A number of directions have also been issued. There can be no directions now asking them how to investigate kidnapping cases, etc," she said.

Taking note of the submission, the Court ultimately directed that notice be issued to the Centre.

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