SC wants practical SOP to combat human trafficking cases

The Supreme Court has called for framing a practical, time-sensitive and uniform Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to combat human trafficking cases.

“The court is not interested in any hypothetical or academic formula, but rather a practical strategy/approach which can be implemented/put into place right away, at the local police station level under whose jurisdiction the incident occurs,” a Bench headed by Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah observed in a recent order.

Running against time

The nine-page court order said time was of the “greatest importance” from the moment the police get a complaint of a missing person. The guidelines must help in creating a procedural framework for the police to act on as soon as the complaint is received, it stated.

The court directed the Union Home Secretary, the Home Secretaries and the Director Generals of Police of the States and the Union Territories to hold a discussion with stakeholders who were specifically dealing with issues of human trafficking within their jurisdictions to come up with specific proposals/suggestions for the perusal of the top court.

The Bench scheduled the next hearing on April 21.

“The exercise initially shall be limited to the very basic issue of investigation not only being initiated but seriously pursued immediately upon a report received relating to any missing person, more so in the background that till the person is not finally located, the case shall be kept alive not just on paper, but actually on the ground also,” the top court reiterated in the order.

Besides seeking the aid of senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, who had assisted the Delhi High Court in crafting an SOP for dealing with trafficking cases in the national capital, the top court also constituted a committee of P.M. Nair, former IPS officer and DG, NDRF; Veerendra Kumar Mishra, IPS, Director, Ministry of Home Affairs; and S.D. Sanjay, Additional Solicitor General.

“The Union of India, the States and the Union Territories shall take guidance from and involve the committee at every stage,” the court ordered.

It directed that the Home Secretaries of the Union as well as the State governments and the Union Territories should involve their Directors General of Police and other agencies directly dealing trafficking cases before finalising their report.