'Human trafficking has powerful hierarchy'

On the concluding day of the three-day workshop on human trafficking, Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor of National University of Study and Research in Law A K Koul said trafficking is a racket perpetuated by some and controlled by others, but only middle men get arrested.

Sharing his experiences on a case pertaining to bonded labour while practising in the Supreme Court some years ago, Koul narrated how labourers, including girls, had been brought from Madhya Pradesh to engage in brick kilns situated in the belt between Rajasthan and eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP).

"Girls were exploited and some ended up in brothels," he said, referring to the strong nexus among local mafia, police, politicians, besides the middle men, leading to a strong hierarchy at the ground level.

Reminding that India is one among the 180 members with the International Labour Organisation, Koul suggested that labour departments have also got important role in dealing with trafficking strictly.

Jharkhand police chief Gouri Shankar Rath said rules were there to contain the menace, but correct interpretation of law was necessary to punish the traffickers.

Stressing upon proper investigation, Principal Secretary of Jharkhand Home department J B Tubid said not a single human trafficking case should go out of hand.

The government has decided to create a website in which all judicial orders relating to trafficking would be loaded for reference, he added.

Tubid said he met Chief Justice P C Tatia of Jharkhand High Court during the day and apprised him of issues pertaining to human trafficking and he had asked to conduct a judicial colloquium on the topic.