Human trafficking rising because of female foeticide, says court
4 July 2014 12:29 AM GMT
Advocating to exercise a ‘zero tolerance’ for those prima-facie involved in the crime of female foeticide, a Delhi court refused to quash the proceedings against doctors who were allegedly shown involved in the illegal act in a sting operation by an NGO. The court observed that the direct evidences in such cases are rare as both the wrong doers — doctors and family; have joint interests in maintaining secrecy to female feticide. Additional Session Judge Kamini Lau observed the situation while dismissing the plea of quashing the order of cognizance taken by magistrate on a complaint of NGO Beti Bachao Samiti. The NGO had carried out sting operations to expose the alleged act of two doctors namely, Urvashi Fakay and Sunil Fakay.
Acts relating to female feticide are committed in strict secrecy wherein both the wrong doers have joint interests in maintaining secrecy. Where then can be a question of direct evidence comes in, asked the court while dismissing the plea. According to the 2011 Census, the numbers of girls stand at 940 which is a marginal increase from 933 in 2001. Haryana has the lowest sex ratio among the states while Kerala remains at the top with the highest sex ratio. In the national capital Delhi, the statistics stand at 821 girls against 1000 boys. Nearly 10 million female fetuses have been aborted in the country over the past two decades.
‘Of the 12 million girls born in India, one million do not see their first birthdays. As a result of this human trafficking has become common in various states of India where teenage girls are being sold for cheap money by poor families, being treated as sex objects with more than half of such cases go unreported,’ said ASJ Kamini Lau.
The court said authenticity of evidence can be judged by the court only. ‘CD’s are correct or not and what is the evidentiary value are issues yet to be adjudicated by the trial court, but it does not mean that the benefit of the same should go to the accused,’ said the court. While supporting the role of NGOs, the court said that illegal activities are done in connivance with politicians, police and other local authorities and it is because of this connivance that the role of Non Government Organizations (NGO) working in the area becomes significant.
The judge also cited the United Nations’ World Population Fund reports which indicate that India has one of the highest sex imbalances in the world and the demographers warn that there will be a shortage of brides in the next 20 years because of the adverse juvenile sex ratio.
Acts relating to female feticide are committed in strict secrecy wherein both the wrong doers have joint interests in maintaining secrecy. Where then can be a question of direct evidence comes in, asked the court while dismissing the plea. According to the 2011 Census, the numbers of girls stand at 940 which is a marginal increase from 933 in 2001. Haryana has the lowest sex ratio among the states while Kerala remains at the top with the highest sex ratio. In the national capital Delhi, the statistics stand at 821 girls against 1000 boys. Nearly 10 million female fetuses have been aborted in the country over the past two decades.
‘Of the 12 million girls born in India, one million do not see their first birthdays. As a result of this human trafficking has become common in various states of India where teenage girls are being sold for cheap money by poor families, being treated as sex objects with more than half of such cases go unreported,’ said ASJ Kamini Lau.
The court said authenticity of evidence can be judged by the court only. ‘CD’s are correct or not and what is the evidentiary value are issues yet to be adjudicated by the trial court, but it does not mean that the benefit of the same should go to the accused,’ said the court. While supporting the role of NGOs, the court said that illegal activities are done in connivance with politicians, police and other local authorities and it is because of this connivance that the role of Non Government Organizations (NGO) working in the area becomes significant.
The judge also cited the United Nations’ World Population Fund reports which indicate that India has one of the highest sex imbalances in the world and the demographers warn that there will be a shortage of brides in the next 20 years because of the adverse juvenile sex ratio.
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