The Jharkhand High Court, addressing a habeas corpus petition regarding a minor girl missing since 2018, has urged the state and Central governments to establish a precise Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for utilizing Aadhaar data to locate missing children. The petition, filed by the girl’s mother, seeks assistance in finding her daughter.
During the recent hearing, a division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice A.K. Rai requested a comprehensive status report from the state government and police on the investigation’s progress. Authorities confirmed the registration of an FIR based on the mother’s complaint and ongoing investigative efforts.
In response to the court’s directives, the DSP of Gumla and the Anti-Human Trafficking Police Station’s officer in charge appeared before the Bench, updating on the actions taken. A new Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to intensify the search, including visiting Delhi for leads and widely circulating the missing girl’s photo for identification.
Highlighting the significance of technological support, the Bench stressed the necessity for clear guidelines on the lawful use of Aadhaar-linked data in missing child cases, emphasizing the importance of maintaining privacy protections. The court emphasized the seriousness of missing child cases, calling for a well-defined policy framework to enhance investigative procedures.
In previous sessions, the bench had expressed concerns about child trafficking and law enforcement in the state. In its recent ruling, the High Court instructed authorities to provide a detailed report outlining further progress in the investigation.
