‘Don’t drag us into your agenda’: Supreme Court slams NCPCR over plea seeking SIT probe against missionaries

The top court said the NCPCR was empowered to conduct enquiry and take action in accordance with law

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) told NCPCR not to drag the apex court in its agenda over a plea seeking an SIT probe into cases of children allegedly sold by shelter homes in Jharkhand of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa.

Slamming the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh dismissed the plea filed by the child rights body. It said the relief sought is vague and omnibus, and it cannot be considered.

Also read: Explained | What has India done to address child trafficking?

“Don’t drag the Supreme Court into your agenda. What kind of relief is sought in your petition? How can we pass such directions? The petition is totally misconstrued,” the bench told the lawyer appearing for the NCPCR.

At the outset, the lawyer appearing for the NCPCR submitted that the plea has direction for an apex court-monitored time-bound investigation of all such organisations in Jharkhand to ensure protection of children.

The top court said the NCPCR was empowered to conduct enquiry and take action in accordance with law under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.

The bench refused to entertain the petition and dismissed the plea.

The NCPCR in its plea filed in 2020 had sought enforcement of fundamental rights of prohibition of trafficking in human beings guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution.

It had said discrepancies have been found in children's homes in various states and it has added them as parties in its plea.

The plea had cited cases of child rights violation in Jharkhand and said the authorities in the state have adopted a callous approach to protect minors.

"During course of inquiry by petitioner (NCPCR), shocking revelations were made by the victims which included the factum that the children were being sold in the children homes. These facts were emphatically brought to the notice of the State government (Jharkhand) but continuous attempts were made to sabotage and derail the inquiry," the plea said.

Published - September 24, 2024 06:05 pm IST