The draft was approved by the Union Cabinet headed by PM Modi
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will act as the nodal authority for probing cases of human trafficking, according to a proposed legislation by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MW&CD).
The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wednesday approved the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, which also proposes a punishment of life imprisonment for repeat offenders.
Union WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi said, “We will present the Bill in the upcoming session (of Parliament). The NIA Act is being amended separately. The proposed legislation addresses the issue of trafficking from the point of view of prevention, rescue and rehabilitation.”
A cabinet decision says: “Aggravated forms of trafficking, which includes trafficking for the purpose of forced labour, begging, trafficking by administering chemical substance or hormones on a person for the purpose of early sexual maturity, trafficking of a woman or child for the purpose of marriage or under the pretext of marriage or after marriage will be covered in the new law.”
The former category of crimes would carry a jail term of seven to 10 years. The latter would carry a punishment of at least 10 years in jail, which can be extended to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The draft Bill also moots three years in jail for abetting, promoting and assisting trafficking. The proposed legislation recommends a national anti-trafficking relief and rehabilitation committee which would be headed by Secretary, WCD Ministry.
The NIA will receive financial aid under Nirbhaya fund for safety of women in order to set up a cell for investigating human trafficking. “The new law will make India a leader among South Asian countries to combat trafficking,” Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The Bill provides for interim relief immediately to victims within 30 days to address their trauma and further appropriate relief within 60 days from the date of filing of chargesheet. It aims to ensure confidentiality of victims or witnesses and complainants by not disclosing their identity, time-bound trial and repatriation of the victims within a period of one year from taking into cognizance. “NIA will perform the tasks of Anti-Trafficking Bureau at the national level present under the MHA,” Prasad added.
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