Need redressal forum for flesh trade victims, says Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday suggested the state government to think of some mechanism where victims of sex racket and those pushed into flesh trade could approach for help, as they are afraid of police.

The high court said that there should be some redressal forum and scheme where victim’s confidentiality should be maintained and they should be rehabilitated.

The division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Sambre granted four week’s time to state government to file a reply on PIL filed by Rescue Foundation on the issue of human trafficking and flesh trade.

“Ordinary person may hesitate in speaking to police so there should be some redressal cell, not in police station, but a place where these victims can go with their grievance,” said Justice Patil adding, “Without such forum where can they go? Often they are afraid of going to police.”

Senior counsel Mihir Desai, on behalf of the Foundation argued before the court that though there is a scheme called “Ujwala Scheme” but that is not sufficient to tackle the issue of human trafficking for flesh trade.

The judges said that the science and technology has grown so much that it can help in curbing human trafficking too. Only rescuing and rehabilitating won’t work, there should be some tracking system too to keep a check.

“There should be some police station like ‘cyber cell’, which can frequently check on missing person and work on it instead of checking at the end of the year,” said Justice Patil. “Punishment is not the solution,” he further added.

On earlier occasion the court had asked the state to inform court if the state has appointed a special police officer as required by the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act but the state on Friday sought further time to file reply.