New Delhi
Delhi Police are facing criticism for their slow response to a missing person case, as it took them six months to file a kidnapping FIR after the initial report. This information emerged from a status report submitted in a habeas corpus case currently before the Delhi High Court.
The case involves a boy who disappeared on January 10, 2024, in the Bhajanpura area of Delhi. Despite his mother reporting him missing, the FIR under Section 365 of the IPC was only registered on June 29, 2024. A division bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma is handling the petition regarding this missing boy.
The Delhi Police stated that after extensive efforts yielded no leads, they finally registered the FIR. They later assigned the case to various officers for further investigation. After filing a missing report, the boy’s mother approached the High Court for a habeas corpus petition with advocate Fozia Rahman representing her.
In the following months, the police issued multiple status reports. By September 2024, they indicated that they had received a lead suggesting the boy was using an Instagram account. A notice was sent to Meta Platforms Inc. for details about the account, but no response was received.
This case raises serious concerns about the efficiency of the Delhi Police in handling missing person investigations and the need for better cooperation between law enforcement and social media companies. The Delhi High Court previously emphasized that the first 24 hours are crucial in tracing missing individuals, highlighting the importance of timely action.
