"Don't Drag Us Into Your Agenda": Supreme Court To Child Rights Body

The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the NCPCR not to drag the court in its agenda over a petition seeking a special investigation team (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 BV Nagarathna and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh dismissed the petition filed by the child rights body.

It said the relief sought is vague and omnibus, and it cannot be considered.

"Dont' 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 submitted that the petition has direction for a Supreme Court-monitored time-bound investigation of all such organisations in Jharkhand to ensure protection of children.

The Supreme 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 then dismissed the petition.

The NCPCR in the petition filed in 2020 had sought enforcement of fundamental rights of prohibition of trafficking 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 petition.

The petition cited cases of child rights violation in Jharkhand, and alleged the authorities in the state have adopted a callous approach to protect minors.

"During the course of inquiry by petitioner (NCPCR), shocking revelations were made by victims which included the fact that the children were being sold from 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 petition said.