The Jharkhand High Court has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to file an affidavit stating as to what action the Ministry is taking or is contemplating to take to prevent trafficking of humans from neighbouring country. While, hearing a bail petition in a human trafficking case the court observed that the use of Indian soil for international human trafficking was a serious issue that needs immediate attention of the government.
The case pertains to trafficking of two minor girls from Bangladesh who were being trafficked to Dubai via Kolkata and Mumbai but were rescued from a train at Jamshedpur Railway Station. The bench of Justice Ananda Sen observed that the case brings to light a very disturbing feature. “This is a case of cross border human trafficking. Girls, from Bangladesh, a neighbouring country, are being trafficked to Dubai (UAE), through India,” the court stated.
“This is a very serious issue, which needs immediate attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Thus, I direct the Assistant Solicitor General of India Rajiv Sinha, who is in Court, to file an appropriate affidavit stating as to what action the Ministry of Home Affairs is taking or is contemplating to take, so that this type of trafficking of humans from neighbouring country is prevented,” said the court in its February 06 order and asked to list the matter after six weeks.
The court also directed the Member Secretary, JHAlSA through concerned DlSA, to ensure that proper legal aid is provided to the victim of the case immediately.
Two girls of age 17 and 19 were recently rescued from Tatanagar Railway Station. The girls, both of them Bangladeshi Nationals, were being trafficked for the purpose of sending them to U.A.E. They disclosed that while they were in Dhaka (Bangladesh) they were assured that they will be taken to Dubai(UAE).They were taken to the border areas of India and Bangladesh and thereafter with the aid of other persons they were helped to cross the International Borders and they made entry into the territory of India.
They stated that the persons who were handling their travel told them that they are being taken to Mumbai. In course of sending them to Mumbai they were brought to Howarh (W.B) and got them boarded in a train. They made complains before the police officials in train, which yielded no result. The girls then complained to the passengers of the train. The passengers took action and reported the matter to the police who took action and the girls were brought to Jamshedpur and they were rescued.
The court observed that the statement of victims gives an impression that a well organized racket is functioning internationally to traffic girls from Bangladesh to other countries through India. “This is a matter of grave concern where Indian territory is being used for trafficking foreign nationals (minor girls) to different countries, in this case UAE. The girls were made to cross the border, definitely, illegally where the authorities failed to stop this trafficking. Further from the statement of the victims, I find that at the initial stage in Howarh, the police personnel, who were in the train did not take any action on the complaint of the girls and only when at a later stage the passengers of the train intervened, the police swung into action and they were rescued,” it said.