The Uttar Pradesh Police received a scathing rebuke from the Supreme Court on Friday after a 13-year-old girl missing for two months from the state, was found in two days by officers from neighbouring Delhi. The UP Police had asked for two more months to locate her, prompting the court to transfer the case to the Delhi Police earlier this week.
The 13-year-old girl had gone missing from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh on July 8 and was untraceable for nearly two months, forcing her mother to approach the Supreme Court.
The court on Wednesday transferred the investigation to the Delhi Police from the police force in Uttar Pradesh and hand over the investigation records. It also directed the new Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana to oversee the investigation.
On Friday, Additional Solicitor General Rupinder Singh Suri, appearing for Delhi Police, informed the Supreme Court that after the UP Police handed over the case papers to Delhi Police on Thursday, officers went to Kolkata and traced both the girl and her kidnapper.
"This is certainly a reflection of the state of UP Police. It did not go for so long and they wanted two months' further time, without realising seriousness of the matter and the urgency involved," the Supreme Court said.
A three judge bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar asked the Delhi Police to hand over the girl to the mother after necessary formalities.
The court also asked the Delhi Police to take follow up steps to ensure relevant evidence including medical reports, if any, are placed before the court along with a compliance report.
The mother, who works as a domestic help in Delhi, claimed in her petition that her daughter is believed to have been kidnapped from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh by a man when her family members had gone there to attend a wedding.
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