Court On Its Own Motion vs State Of Tripura

This suo motu Public Interest Litigation is initiated by the High Court based on a news report dated 16th June, 2020 published in "The Tribune". The news report in question suggests that a minor girl aged about 14 years, native of North Tripura, Unakoti District, was sold to a family in Rajasthan due to abject poverty of her family. Upon this incident coming to light, she is presently kept at a Women Shelter Home at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. Unfortunately, she also seems to be carrying a pregnancy of about two and half months.

Taking cognizance of said news report, we would like to ascertain correct facts, primarily with the aim of ensuring the safety and security of the minor girl. The question of bringing the girl back to her native place and to reunite her with her family or to provide her proper care and protection at an appropriate place, is also occupying our minds. For such purposes, we have already joined the State of Tripura through the Home Department, the Tripura State Human Rights Commission, the Tripura State Legal Services Authority and the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TCPCR for short) as respondents. Since the girl is presently in Rajasthan, it would be in fitness of things to join the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, through its Chairman as an additional respondent. We would also join District Collector, Unakoti District as yet another respondent to assist us in our future and further inquiries as may be found necessary.

Let the above two authorities be joined as additional respondents. Let there be notice to all the respondents, returnable on 19.6.2020.

The Registry shall ensure that notice along with a copy of office submissions, news item in question and this order are duly served through hand delivery to all the respondents except the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to whom the notice may be served through e-mail as well as fax message. The Registrar General may also convey to the Secretary of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights about this order and the fact that the proceedings of the case as well as a copy of the order are forwarded to the said Commission through fax and e-mail.

We can only imagine the current mental state of the girl. We would request all respondents to mull over and suggest appropriate ways to ensure the safety and security of the minor girl (whose identity is withheld to protect her against adverse publicity). In particular, suggestions may be made on the next date of hearing by the respondents, how at the earliest the girl can be brought back to Tripura and as and when she is brought back, how to ensure her safety and well being.