NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has expressed serious concern on hardened criminals using children as a “weapon” to escape legal action, saying that exploitation of children in the commission of crimes was increasing day-by-day.
Justice Girish Kathpalia made the observation while denying anticipatory bail to a woman accused of trafficking a child and engaging him in illicit liquor sale, saying grant of bail in such a case where a child was exploited in commission of crimes would send a “very wrong signal to the society”.
“Exploitation of children in the commission of crimes is increasing day by day. Children are now often being used as a weapon by hardened criminals to escape penal action... I do not find it a fit case to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant,” the court said.
According to the prosecution, the woman had trafficked the child from her native village and got him employed in the sale of illicit liquor. An FIR was lodged in the case after the accused’s close relative was seen selling illicit liquor along with the boy, the police said.
The accused approached the court, claiming there was nothing to suggest that she brought the boy to Delhi for sale of illicit liquor. Her counsel told the court that there was no material on record to connect her to the alleged liquor sale. However, the judge held in its order passed on February 4 that the accused’s custodial interrogation was necessary to find out if more children have been trafficked for such purposes.
Police opposed the anticipatory bail application, claiming that the investigation revealed that the accused was actively involved in the illicit liquor sale racket.
The court said that it cannot decide such a case without keeping the seriousness of the crime alleged in mind, as consideration of the anticipatory bail rests on much narrower parameters than what is needed in regular bail matters.
Trafficking of child for sale of illicit liquor
The prosecution said the woman had trafficked the child from her village and got him employed in the sale of illicit liquor. An FIR was lodged in the case after the accused’s close relative was seen selling illicit liquor along with the boy, the police said.