Read Time: 07 minutes

The Supreme Court today was informed by the Delhi Police that they have found the 13-year-old girl missing for the last 2 months in Kolkata and have also arrested the kidnapper after the apex court directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to hand over the case files.

A bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar while falling heavy on UP Police said that the Police did not do this in months and now needed two more months to investigate. 

The bench was hearing a plea filed by the mother of a 13-year-old who is missing since July 8, 2021, alleging that despite filing an FIR with Gorakhpur Police and making efforts to file a complaint with the Delhi Police, no action has been taken till date to trace the minor girl as the girl used to work as house help in Delhi.

The bench has asked the Delhi Police to file the medical reports after due diligence along with the compliance report.

Background:

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to hand over the case files to the Delhi Police, in a 13-Year old minor girl kidnapping case who is missing since 2 months from Gorakhpur.

A bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar has asked the Gorakhpur Police to hand over all files of investigation in the matter to the Malviya nagar Police by tomorrow.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by the mother of a 13 year old who is missing since July 8, 2021 alleging that despite filing an FIR with Gorakhpur Police and making efforts to file complaint with the Delhi Police, no action has been taken till date to trace the minor girl as the girl used to work as house help in Delhi.

Advocate Anuvrat Sharma appearing for the Uttar Pradesh Police submitted that the efforts are being made to investigate the case. The girl is suspected to be in West Bengal, Sharma informed the Court.

Whereas, ASG RS Suri along with Advocate on Record Swarupama Chaturvedi appearing for the Delhi Police said that they are not considering the matter as adversarial. Later, the bench directed the Gorakhpur Police to share files related to the case with the Delhi Police by tomorrow.

The plea submits, "That despite the Petitioner’s complaint, the police officials at the said police station in Gorakhpur failed to take any steps to locate the Petitioner’s minor daughter.

That the Petitioner returned to Delhi, to continue looking for her minor daughter, and again approached the same police station at Malviya Nagar, where the Petitioner had complained regarding the accused on a previous occasion. That, although the police officials are well aware of the case of the Petitioner, not only did the Police officials fail to come to the rescue of the Petitioner’s but they even refused to register or take any steps towards recording the Petitioner’s complaints with respect to the kidnapping of her minor daughter, on the grounds that a prior FIR had been registered in the Gorakhpur, Police Station."

The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on September 3.

Case Title: Neelam Kanojia Vs. The State of Uttar Pradesh and Anr.

Also Read: Supreme Court directs UP Police to handover case files to Delhi Police in a 13 year old Minor girl kidnapping case