‘Child Trafficking is Rampant’: Supreme Court Directs States Not to Take it Lightly

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has raised grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking and told states and Union Territories that gangs are operating across the country and not to take child trafficking lightly.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan said if states and Union Territories do not take immediate action, things will go beyond control.

Only the state government and its Home Department can act vigilantly in this regard, the bench said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.

Justice JB Pardiwala said, "Kindly take this issue very, very seriously. Child trafficking is at a rampage. There are gangs operating across the country. If you all don't pay attention to this, things will be beyond control. And it is only the state government and its Home Department that can act vigilantly in this regard. As a court, we can monitor, but ultimately, the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and the other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request."

It also gave a final opportunity to several states and union territories to comply with the directions issued in its April 15, 2025, verdict aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.

The bench also warned that failure to file compliance reports will result in them being treated as "defaulting" states.

The April 15, 2025, verdict had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.

The top court, besides asking for the setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.

During the hearing, the amicus curiae, the counsel appointed to assist the bench in the matter, informed the apex court that 15 states had not yet constituted such committees.

It then granted a last opportunity to these states and directed that the constitution and functioning of these committees be detailed in the affidavits to be filed by April 18.

The matter is now posted for further hearing on April 29.