Ascertain if nationwide network is behind missing kids, SC tells Centre

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to ascertain if there was a nationwide network or state-specific groups behind children going missing from different parts of the country.“We want to know whether there is a nationwide network or state-specific group behind these incidents where children go missing. Is it a pattern or just a random incident,” asked a Bench led by Justice BV Nagrathna.

While hearing a PIL filed by ‘Guria Swayam Sevi Sansthan’ that highlighted the rising number of missing children who remained untraced, the Bench -- which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan -- asked the Centre to collate data from all states to find out if there was a pattern behind such incidents.

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On behalf of the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said some states had given their data on missing children and that of prosecution, but around a dozen states had not shared the relevant data.

As the ASG said such an analysis could be made only after the Centre gets complete data, the Bench suggested that rescued children should be interviewed to ascertain who’s responsible for such incidents. Expressing displeasure over states not furnishing data, the Bench said it may pass harsh orders if needed.

Senior advocate Aparna Bhatt said the Centre had taken the initiative and direction should be issued to all states to furnish relevant data.

Earlier, the top court had directed the Centre to furnish six years of nationwide data on missing children and appoint a dedicated officer in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for ensuring effective coordination with states and union territories in compiling the data.

It had also directed all states and UTs to depute dedicated nodal officers to oversee cases of missing children and ensure that such details were promptly uploaded in a portal run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

As a news report claimed that every eight minutes a child goes missing in the country, the Supreme Court had on November 18, 2025, expressed serious concern over it, describing it as a serious issue.

“I have read in a newspaper that every eight minutes, a child goes missing in the country. I don’t know if this is true or not. But this is a serious issue,” Justice Nagarathna had said.

Noting that the adoption process in India was complicated, the Bench – which also included Justice R Mahadevan -- asked the Centre to streamline the mechanism. The rigorous adoption process was bound to be flouted and people would go for illegal means to have children, it said.