[ Amar Sangno ]
ITANAGAR, 23 May: In a significant development in the sensational sex racket and human trafficking case busted by the Itanagar police, the Itanagar permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of procedural lapses in granting bail to a government official accused in a POCSO and human trafficking case.
The bench also raised query about at least 10 more co-accused who got bail in the infamous sex racket and POCSO case, thus raising serious questions over judicial compliance with the victims’ rights.
The matter arose during the hearing of a writ petition [WP(C)/195/2025] filed by one of the accused, Bulang Marik, who was serving as deputy superintendent of police, 1st APPBn, Chimpu, seeking his reinstatement in service after suspension linked to his arrest under Itanagar Women Police Station Case No 20/2024 under IPC Section 376, POCSO Act and the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act.
The accused was granted interim bail by trail court judge Jaweplu Chai on 3 October, 2024, and regular bail by Judge Hirendra Kashyap.
While examining the bail order issued by the court in Marik’s case, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi noted that the victim had not been heard before granting bail, meaning a clear violation of guidelines issued under High Court Notification No 17, dated 15 March, 2024. These guidelines were framed pursuant to the court’s earlier ruling in Dipak Nayak vs State of Assam & Ors [Crl Appl (J)/40/2022], mandating effective victim hearings in POCSO-related bail applications.
Senior advocate Muk Pertin, standing counsel for the high court, informed that the trial court had similarly granted bail on 18 January, 2025 to nine other individuals – Michi Tabin, Debia Tara, Senlar Ronya, Neelam Mangha, Jamlo Tagung, Rido Nime, Bamang Moses, Purnima Mili, Inamul Haque, and Puspanjali Mili – without apparent victim consultation.
Amicus curiae Dicky Panging, representing the victim, further submitted that up to 20 accused may have been granted bail under similar circumstances. The court directed issuance of notices to the 10 named co-accused via the special court, and asked for their addresses from judicial records.
Justice Medhi also ordered the trial court to transmit copies of all bail orders to verify adherence to the high court’s 2024 guidelines. “The guidelines are not optional,” additional public prosecutor T Ete argued, affirming the state’s position that mandatory victim hearings are crucial for fair process in POCSO proceedings.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on 3 June, 2025.
The high-profile sex trafficking case in Arunachal Pradesh’ capital Itanagar – involving minor girls and a network of accused, including doctors, engineers and police personnel – has suffered a major setback as all five victims turned hostile during trial proceedings. The capital police had filed a chargesheet on 26 July, 2024.
Out of 28 chargesheeted accused, 26 accused are on bail. At least 32 individuals were arrested by the capital police in connection with the interstate sex trafficking case, involving minors from Assam to Itanagar, who were forced into prostitution. The victims, who hail from economically disadvantaged families in Assam, were trafficked to Itanagar between 2020 and 2023.
