Centre to amend IPC, make new law on missing children

New Delhi, Mar 7 (UNI) The Centre will amend the India Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure or bring in new legislation to prevent incidents of children's disappearance across the country, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said today.

The Government is awaiting the final report of the Committee of Women and Child Welfare Ministry formed after a large number of children's skeletal remains were found in Nithari village of Noida district of Uttar Pradesh, the Home Minister told the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.

The Home Minister's statement came after he had to face the anger and anguish of the members, who cutting across the political spectrum, tried to corner the Government over the Nithari sordid episode that happened in the vicinity of the capital and other cases of children going missing in different parts of the country.

They accused Mr Patil of not giving a clear answer to their queries and trying to pass the buck to the state governments.

The Home Minister said the law and order was, of course, a state subject, but the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was probing the Nithari killings in view of the gravity of the matter. It was also exploring reports of cannibalism and illegal organ trade, he said.

He said businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surinder Kohli had been named in FIRs of 19 cases. Incidents of children being kidnapped, abduction of women, rape, murder and disposal of their bodies were being investigated.

Reports of skeletal remains of children believed to have been sexually abused had stirred the nation.

Mr Patil said that the committee appointed in the wake of the Nithari episode had pressed for making the 'missing' cases a congizable offence as most of the time police do not pay attention to FIRs regarding missing children as it was not congizable.

''The Government would consider all these recommendations and consult the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Justice to strengthen existing laws or make new ones,'' said Mr Patil.

He said the CrPC could be amended to provide that if the FIR is not lodged by police, a copy of it sent to judicial magistrate by the complainant should be enough to require action by police.

Ms Karat said the Centre should set up a mechanism in consultation with state chief and home ministers to monitor incidents of missing children belonging to migrant workers.

The House witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and Treasury benches over the issue with the former accusing the Home Ministry of complete failure to prevent such incidents.

The agitated members frequently disrupted the Home Minister's reply saying it was not clear and satisfying. Finally, Me Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M suggested that the House should have a separate discussion over the issue, and the Chairman accepted his suggestion, saying he had already received several request for discussing the matter.

UNI