Rescue Foundation vs. Senior Police Officer Shahada Police Station

ITEM NO.8 COURT NO.2 SECTION II-A

S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No(s). 6753/2017

(Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 24-08-2017 in CRLWP No. 325/2017 passed by the High Court Of Judicature At Bombay At Aurangabad)

RESCUE FOUNDATION Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

SENIOR POLICE OFFICER SHAHADA POLICE STATION & ORS.Respondent(s)

(FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT ON IA 87296/2017 and IA No.90557/2017-PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS)

Date : 21-03-2018 This matter was called on for hearing today.

• CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE J. CHELAMESWAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KISHAN KAUL
• For Petitioner(s) Mr. Abhishek Bharti, Adv. Mr. Weslay B. Menezes, Adv. Mr. Harish Bhandari, Adv. Mr. Balaji Srinivasan, AOR
• For Respondent(s) Mr. Nishant Ramakantrao Katneshwarkar, AOR

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following O R D E R

Pursuant to the directions given by the Court on 13.03.2018, three Police Officers, namely, Mr. Krishna Prakash [Inspector General, Prevention of Atrocities against Women (PAW)], Mr. Sanjay Shukla, Inspector, and Mr. Shivaji Budhwant, Inspector, are present before us today. On being enquired by the Court as to the nature of the investigation undertaken by them to find out the background in which 68 girls from Rajasthan (who have been rescued), we are informed that they are clueless as to how exactly they came from Rajasthan. Digitally signed by MAHABIR SINGH Date: 2018.03.21 16:55:57 IST Reason: Signature Not Verified

Admittedly, all the girls rescued belong to the State of Rajasthan, who are found in the State of Maharashtra and allegedly involved in the oldest profession known to the humanity.

If 68 girls from one particular State are found in another State in this country, allegedly resorting to prostitution, it should normally raise a suspicion in the minds of anybody concerned that there must be some systematic crime going on to induce or compel the innocent girls into prostitution.

The answer which is given in the court is that two ladies who are supposed to be running a brothel, were arrested, but later on granted bail.

If that is the degree of efficiency of investigation, it is not safe to leave the investigation to the hands of the officers present in Court. Having regard to the dimensions of the case and the implications of the social problem, apart from question of law, we deem it appropriate to direct the Director General of Police, Maharashtra to be present before this Court to assist the Court for further course of action in respect of the case on 03.04.2018.

The Registry is directed to communicate this order to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra forthwith.

List on 03.04.2018.

(JAYANT KUMAR ARORA) (RAJINDER KAUR) COURT MASTER COURT MASTER

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