99 days since rescue, police yet to file FIR in bonded labour case

CHENNAI: It has been 99 days since the district task force rescued 54 bonded labourers, including 12 children, from a jewel making unit in Sowcarpet, a hub of jewel making industry. But, the police is yet to file a case in connection with the case.

The delay in filing a case, according to officials, is a brazen violation of the guidelines and standard operation procedure (SOP) of the Tamil Nadu government in cases involving the rescue and rehabilitation of child and bonded labour system. Apart from weakening the case during the prosecution of the employer, the delay will also affect the disbursal of financial assistance for the survivors under the Union Government’s Central Sector Scheme.

The police shall take all effective steps to file first information report (FIR) within 24 hours of rescue and proceed under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, or section 370 of IPC against the employer for having engaged in human trafficking, employing bonded and forced labour. The charge sheet shall be accompanied with all the relevant documents for a fair trial.

However, the SOP has no bearing on the police officer investigating the case.

“The investigation officer has neither filed a separate FIR in connection with the rescue of the 42 bonded labourers, aged between 19 and 25 years, nor has included their names in the FIR filed in connection with the rescue of 12 child bonded labourers. The police officers handling the case are treating us like nuisance creators and dodging from filing the case,” said a member of the District Task Force (DTF) that rescued 54 workers on July 19 from the jewel making unit. The unit was operating clandestinely on the fourth floor of a decades-old building in Reddy Raman Street in Sowcarpet, which falls under the jurisdiction of F 1 Flower Bazaar Station.

The police, according to the DTF, were trying to “weaken” the case to aid the perpetrator. “The owner of the illegal jewel making unit was allowed to shift all the machinery and jewels from the raided facility. This was against the rules. Moreover, the police did not show any intention to arrest the owner Badal Samanta and gave a free-hand for him to approach the Madras High Court to obtain anticipatory bail,” alleged the DTF member. He added that such an approach of police is undoing their effort in eradicating bonded labour and child labour measures and making “mockery” of the government’s objective to make the state free of bonded and child labour.

While the survivors expressed that they were yet to receive any financial assistance from the government, TN labour department officials said that they were unable to extend the aid due to want of FIR in connection with the case. “Rescue certificate (RC) and FIR copies are mandated to release financial assistance of Rs 30,000 to each survivor under the Central Sector Scheme. We are waiting for the FIR copy till date to release the aid as part of the rehabilitation efforts, “ said a labour department official.