JAMMU: Missing of a minor domestic help from the residence of a Judge in Jammu outskirts has raised furour and question mark over brazen violation of child labour laws by senior politicians, bureaucrats and persons at helm in Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting the issue of a missing domestic help at a press conference, Voice for Rights, an NGO dedicated to protection of Human Rights on Sunday demanded constitution of a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to investigate into the mysterious missing of a child employed by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rajouri, Mehmood Rehman Choudhary. Son of a former minister, Lal Mohd Saber, the Judge has been accused of allegedly violating Child Labour Act, 1986. The missing 15 year old boy is reported to have been working at the Judge’s Jammu residence for the past three years when he was just 12.
Chairperson, Voice for Rights, Advocate Deepika Singh demanded action against the Judge for employing a 12 year old child, Rafiq Choudharty at his residence as domestic help three years ago.
Singh, who has already filed a PIL against the growing menace of child labour in Jammu and Kashmir, demanded SIT probe into mysterious disappearance of the minor.
She said, “It is unfortunate that a Magistrate, expected to uphold the law and deliver justice, employed a 12 year old age child as domestic help knowing well that it was an offence under law.
Highlighting the police inaction, she further said that the child is missing for last 28 days and police has failed to take action against the delinquent employer who is unfortunately a Magistrate.
She made a fervent appeal to Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Chief Minister to order probe by SIT led by a senior and impartial police officer to ascertain the facts and punish the guilty.
Father of the missing child, Farooq Ahmed, who was present at the press conference, expressed apprehension that his son might have been killed.
He said, “Judge deceived us by employing our minor child as servant at his residence. He promised that he will put our child in school and raise him as a good person. He also promised that on attaining majority, he will use his all the contacts to provide employment to the child”.
He said, “My son Rafiq Ahmed was working as domestic help at the residence of CJM, Mehmood Choudhary at his Bathindi residence here for the past three years. He is missing from his residence from 12th April 2015. We lodged a missing report on 16th April 2015 at Police Station Bahu Fort but no action has been taken to trace the boy or any action taken against the CJM”.
“The Judge is threatening us of dire consequences if we pursue the case”, said the father while urging the media to help him in getting the whereabouts of his son. He said that Deputy Superintendent of Police, East Rafiq Manhas brazenly refused to initiate any action against the Judge, saying that even the Chief Minister cannot help them in locating the missing son.
“What can be the inference”, the father rued while alleging that the police might be in know of the facts about his son. In a choked voice he said, “I don’t know whether my son is alive or not”.
Sources told STATE TIMES that the missing domestic help was in know of certain unethical activities of a Personal Security Officer (PSO) Noor Mohammed allotted to the Judge. On the day of his disappearance, he is reported to have witnessed ‘something alarming going on in the household’ and since then he was not seen by the neighbours. The PSO remains along with Judge’s family here though he himself is posted at Rajouri.
The family of the missing domestic help is reported to have met senior police officers during the past few days but no action has been initiated so far. They are reported to have brought the PSO angle also to the senior police officers, who, they allege, are trying to keep the mystery under carpet.