Statutory child rights body NCPCR has moved the Supreme Court for an SIT probe, monitored by the top court, into the cases of children allegedly sold by shelter homes of the Missionaries of Charity, which was founded by Mother Teresa, in Jharkhand.
It has sought direction for an apex court monitored time bound investigation of all such organisations in Jharkhand to ensure protection of children.
The NCPCR, which has for the first time moved the apex court under Article 32, sought enforcement of fundamental rights of prohibition of trafficking in human beings guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said discrepancies have been found in children’s homes in various states and it has arrayed them as parties in its plea.
A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant issued notice on Monday to Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra Governments and tagged the matter with the already pending matter related to protection of child rights in school.
The plea, filed through advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi, cited cases of child rights violation in Jharkhand and said that authorities in the state have adopted a callous approach to protect the minors.