The Delhi High Court has asked the police to respond to a plea alleging lapses in handling the custody of eight girls rescued from a commercial sexual exploitation racket in the Capital.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notices to Delhi Police and other agencies on a plea filed by two NGOs claiming that the police failed to produce the rescued girls in front of the Child Welfare Committee before their release.

This action is a requirement under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and not complying with it violates anti-trafficking laws, the plea stated.

Releasing them before producing them in front of the panel may lead to the girls being trafficked again, it added.

The counsel representing the NGOs said that on December 4 and December 12, 2024, they had assisted the police in conducting raids in Burari, which had resulted in the eight girls being rescued.

She said the action of releasing the rescued girls without producing them before the Child Welfare Committee, violated the constitutional guarantee and mandatory provisions under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and could lead to them being trafficked again.

The petitioners said they took up the issue with senior police officers, including the Joint Commissioner of Police, but it didn’t translate into action.