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The Delhi High Court today issued notice in a fresh plea filed by Ajay Gautam seeking elimination of Child beggary in the City.

The Division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Amit Bansal was hearing a fresh plea filed by Ajay Gautam seeking directions to the Delhi Police to identify and arrest the mafia/ gangs who are behind the organised crime of sexual exploitation & using women, toddlers, teenage girls & children into begging & other related crimes.

Gautam today argued before the bench that the Court in its previous order in 2015 had dismissed his plea with the direction to approach the DCPCR and if required to file a fresh petition. Gautam said that he had made representations before the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), however nothing had been done. Hence he had filed a fresh petition before the Court.

Gautam submitted that “there is a racket going on in the city where children are forced into begging. These children are also forces into organised crimes. These children are given targets and are abused.”

Relying on the Supreme Court judgement in the Case of Bandhua Mukti Morcha, Gautam submitted that every person has a right to live with dignity.

The earlier plea filed by Gautam had sought directions  to identify exact number of destitute children who are involved in begging and to review the steps taken to solve this problem. The plea said that though Delhi State Commission for Protection of Child Rights was formed on July 7, 2008, to eradicate child beggary in the city, it had failed in its task. Moreover while the Centre had enacted variety of legislation for children, it had failed to ensure that children do not beg.

The division bench of the then Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw on January 7,, 2015 had dismissed Gautam’s plea and directed him to approach Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) for his grievances.  “DCPCR Act itself provides that the Commission will take care of the grievances raised in the plea. The petitioner is thus directed to approach DCPCR,” the Court had said.

Thw Court has listed the matter for next hearing on September 27.

 Case Title: Ajay Gautam vs DCPCR