HC orders special courts, probe into Yadadri sex racket

A high court division bench comprising Chief Justice T B Radhakrishnan and Justice S V Bhatt on Monday directed the Telangana government to come up with a decision by Tuesday on setting up special courts to deal with the child sex racket in Yadadri and other places in the state.

The bench also wanted to know whether the state can set up special investigation teams or an agency for the speedy investigation into such cases.

The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad on Saturday took suo motu cognisance of child trafficking and sexual exploitation in Yadadri, a temple town, based on a report filed by DH.

Taking up hearing on PIL number 313, the chief justice sought clarity on four pertinent issues from the Advocate General (A-G) B S Prasad, including the preventive and protective actions initiated by the government, and its readiness to set up special courts and investigation teams.

Justice Bhatt has asked the A-G to submit a list of women police officers out of which the court will select officers who would be part of the investigation team which will comprise a sizeable number of women officers. Justice Bhatt wanted to know from the A-G why police intelligence has failed to identify the illegal sex racket prevalent in the temple town.

"It has become a marketplace...unless there is collusion with authorities these things do not happen. Police are no exception to this," Justice Bhatt observed. He wondered about the fate of the children if a Good Samaritan had not called the child helpline.

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Justice Radhakrishnan, while seeking details of the action initiated so far by the government and the status of the rescued girl children, wanted to know why the medical practitioner who was arrested for injecting growth hormones into the children was let out on bail.

"We have to catch the offenders and punish them. The medical practitioner was treating the girls as poultry chicken by giving them growth hormones," the Chief Justice pointed out while directing the government to ensure that the Superintendent of Police of Yadadri is present in the court on Tuesday.

Assistant Solicitor General K Lakshman, senior counsel for APHC J Anil Kumar and counsels for the Telangana home department and women and child welfare departments were present.