Anti-trafficking bill set to get Cabinet’s nod

However, the home ministry finally conceded to a separate law after the WCD ministry agreed to its demand to allow investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate trafficking cases.

In an earlier version of the draft, the WCD ministry had proposed the creation of a new agency to handle trafficking cases. The home ministry argued against this on the grounds that existing agencies are well equipped to handle such cases, which often involve money laundering and are sometimes related to terrorism.

“The WCD ministry has agreed to our proposal to allow existing agencies to probe trafficking cases. We are fine with a separate law,” said a senior home ministry official who didn’t wish to be named.

The draft law also makes giving hormones and drugs to trafficked young girls to accelerate sexual maturity and forcing them into prostitution a crime, punishable by up to 10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

It also proposes to make registration of placement agencies that recruit and place domestic helps mandatory. Failure to register with the state authorities will invite a fine of Rs 50,000.

Currently, there is no single law dealing with human trafficking and the crime is covered under different acts administered by at least half-a-dozen ministries, including WCD, home, labour, health, Indian overseas affairs and external affairs.

More often than not, this results in lax enforcement.