The Supreme Court today said it would monitor the investigation into a human trafficking case in Maharashtra and asked the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to constitute an exclusive bench for hearing bail applications of accused in the case.
The apex court directed the Maharashtra government to appoint a special public prosecutor to ensure free and fair trial in the case in which 68 girls, hailing from Rajasthan, were rescued from Maharashtra.
A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that it was a very "unfortunate situation" and directed that an Inspector General of Police-rank officer should supervise the investigation into the case.
"This is a serious matter and police officers involved in the case should investigate the matter properly. What is more worrying is the role played by the parents of the girls as there is no missing complaint filed. There may be some financial consideration for them," the bench said.
It listed the matter for May 3 and said that court would like to monitor the progress of investigation into the case.
The bench said that since several accused involved in the larger racket of human trafficking might seek anticipatory bail or regular bail at different courts of the country, which might jeopardise the efforts of a Special Task Force constituted to investigate the matter.
"We request the Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court to set up a bench which should exclusively deal with the regular bail and anticipatory bails of the accused in the case," it said.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for Maharashtra said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officials from various departments had been constituted to look into the matter.
On March 21, the apex court was informed by senior officials of Maharashtra Police they had no clue as how these 68 girls from Rajasthan came to the state.
"If 68 girls from one particular state are found in another state in this country, allegedly resorting to prostitution, it should normally raise a suspicion in the minds of anybody concerned that there must be some systematic crime going on to induce or compel the innocent girls into prostitution," the bench had said.
It had summoned the Director General of Police of Maharashtra after it learnt that two women running a brothel, who were arrested, had manage to secure bail.
"If that is the degree of efficiency of investigation, it is not safe to leave the investigation to the hands of the officers present in Court. Having regard to the dimensions of the case and the implications of the social problem, apart from question of law, we deem it appropriate to direct the Director General of Police, Maharashtra to be present before this Court to assist the Court for further course of action," it had said.
The bench was hearing a case filed by Mumbai-based organisation Rescue Foundation, which works for rehabilitation of sex workers.
The case pertained to 68 girls, including 18 minors, who had been rescued from a place under Shahada police station in Nandurbar district last year.
The court was earlier informed that police had already filed a charge sheet and booked only two women who were alleged to be running the brothel.
The 68 girls were rescued in a joint raid carried out by Rescue Foundation and Shahada police on January 10, 2017.
However, after the operation, Shahada police had showed only seven girls as victims of trafficking and booked the remaining 61 for causing nuisance in a public place.
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