New Delhi [India], April 15 (ANI): The Supreme Court has issued a set of stringent guidelines to prevent child trafficking, stressing that hospitals must face immediate suspension of their licenses if a newborn is trafficked from their facility.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan took serious action against any hospitals found to be involved in the trafficking of newborns. The court stated that any laxity in implementing these directions would be treated as contempt of court. The bench also expressed concern over the bail granted by the Allahabad High Court to individuals accused in child trafficking cases, deciding to cancel their bail.
As part of its efforts to curb child trafficking, the Supreme Court directed all High Courts to gather information on the status of pending child trafficking trials. It instructed these courts to issue circulars to trial courts, urging them to complete the trials within six months, with the possibility of conducting trials on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, the High Courts are required to forward reports on the compliance of these directions to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court’s verdict further emphasized that non-compliance with these guidelines or any laxity from authorities will be viewed very strictly, with contempt proceedings if necessary.
The Court also stated that it wants to convey a message to the public, particularly parents, urging them to be extremely vigilant and careful with their children. It noted that the pain of losing a child to trafficking is far more agonizing than the loss of a child through death, as the parents suffer from uncertainty and emotional distress for the rest of their lives.
In a related move, the Supreme Court directed all state governments to review the report by the Bharatiya Institute of Research and Development (BIRD) on human trafficking and to implement its recommendations.
The matter will be revisited by the Supreme Court in October 2025 for compliance with the directions.
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