RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY, J. - (1.) HEARD Sri P. P. N. Roy, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners and Sri. V. S. Sahay, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State.
(2.) IN this application, the petitioners have prayed for quashing the entire criminal proceedings in connection with Mahagama P. S. Case No. 80 of 2014 corresponding to G. R. No. 780 of 2014 which has been registered for the offences punishable under Sections 370(5), 420, 465, 468 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
(3.) THE prosecution story in the First Information Report which has been registered on the basis of a letter of the Superintendent of Police, Godda is with respect to illegal trafficking of children from Jharkhand to Kerala. It is alleged that as per letter dated 13.06.2014 addressed to the Superintendent of Police, Godda by Regional Deputy Superintendent of Police, CID, Ranchi a direction was received for verification and needful action with respect to a news published in a newspaper about the illegal trafficking of children to Kerala. It has further been stated that the investigating officer went to Palakkad in the State of Kerala along with his team on 05.06.2014 and made a verification with the help of the local police about the rescue of 456 minor children from the train, all of whom belonged to the State of Jharkhand and Bihar. In course of verification, it was disclosed that 226 boys and 230 girls totalling 456 in number were rescued on 24.05.2014 from coach no. S/9 to S/14 of Patna Arnakullam Express and the majority of the children were brought without ticket for which railway department had imposed a penalty of Rs. 1,25,000/ - and which was deposited by some unknown person. In course of investigation, it was also detected that several persons including the petitioners on the pretext of giving good education had allured those children to Kerala. It was also alleged therein that the children had disclosed that Rs. 1,500/ - per child were taken from their parents and they were made to travel in Patna Arnakullam Express without any ticket and on the basis of a false identity card and they were also not provided with food. In course of investigation, it also came to light that in the State of Kerala, there are many orphanages and the said orphanages get huge aid from the Government and foreign institutions for running the orphanages in a proper manner and for providing good eduction to the orphans admitted there. It was also alleged therein that children were kept in the orphanages in spite of the fact that their parents are alive in order to receive the grant from the various institutions.;