Leprosy patient approaches Delhi High Court over missing son

A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP, northeast) to file a report on the plea of a resident of a leprosy home—the boy’s mother.

The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the police after a leprosy patient wrote to it, seeking directions to authorities to trace her 11-year-old son who, according to her, was abducted by their neighbour.

The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the police after a leprosy patient wrote to it, seeking directions to authorities to trace her 11-year-old son who, according to her, was abducted by their neighbour. (Mint)

A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP, northeast) to file a report on the plea of a resident of a leprosy home—the boy’s mother.

On September 2018, the woman had written to the Delhi High Court, alleging police laxity in finding her son who was allegedly lured and abducted by a neighbour on October 4, 2017.

Taking note of the letter, the PIL committee of the high court sought a response from the DCP who submitted a report in December that year. The DCP said information about the missing boy was advertised on various platforms.

A team, the report said, was sent to Bihar to know the whereabouts of the suspect. However, his mother said he had been suffering from leprosy for over one year and did not know of his whereabouts.

The PIL committee converted it into a habeas corpus (a writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or into court) plea. In her letter, the woman said she had lodged a complaint with at the Nand Nagri police station on October 4, 2017. She said she and her husband, also a leprosy patient, searched for their son but could not find him. She urged the court to look if her child has been trafficked or killed and said action was not taken against the suspect. The court will hear the matter on March 25.