Delhi Police tells SC: Missing minor girl found, kidnapper arrested

The Supreme Court on Friday was informed by the Delhi police that a minor girl who had gone missing from Uttar Pradesh since July 8 has been traced to Kolkata and her kidnapper has been arrested.

A Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Hrishikesh Roy, and CT Ravikumar was informed by Additional Solicitor General RS Puri, appearing for the Delhi Police, that as per Court's direction Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police handed over case files to Delhi Police.

Accordingly, a team was constituted which went to Kolkata and arrested the kidnapper and the girl was recovered, Puri told the Bench.

"This is a reflection on the state of UP Police. The police did not see this for so long and wanted two more months to conduct the probe," remarked the Bench.

The apex court directed the Delhi Police to gather relevant evidence including medical reports and submit the same in court for compliance and posted the matter for hearing on September 7.

On Wednesday, the Bench had expressed unhappiness on the failure of the UP Police in tracing the girl and directed the Gorakhpur police to share the entire investigation records to Malviya Nagar Police here by September 2 of a case related to the missing of a minor girl from Gorakhpur, who remains untraced for last two months.

The mother of the missing girl had filed the habeas corpus petition in the apex court, to produce the girl before the court, while voicing the apprehension that the girl might be sexually abused or be trafficked into the sex trade. She suspects a Delhi resident to be the kidnapper.

The petitioner, a domestic maid in Delhi, in the plea said that the suspect had been trying to lure and seduce her minor daughter for long and she had lodged a complaint in the Malviya Nagar Police station in Delhi.

An FIR with respect to the missing girl was filed with the Gorakhpur Police and an attempt was made to file a complaint in Delhi as well after she returned to Delhi; however, the petitioner claimed that no action has been taken to bring the minor girl back.

The mother claimed that her daughter was kidnapped while they were visiting her husband's hometown, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The petitioner also claimed that the man had been chasing, luring, and inducing the minor girl to reside with him.

(ANI)