The Delhi High Court has raised serious concerns about the increasing exploitation of children in criminal activities, prompting a call to reconsider the age of juvenility. The observation came during a hearing on Wednesday, where Justice Girish Kathpalia dismissed an anticipatory bail plea for a man accused of involving a child in illicit liquor trafficking.

The court emphasized that the use of children in crimes, ranging from drug and liquor peddling to arms trafficking and acts of extreme violence, represents a grave societal issue. "Far more serious than the illicit liquor trafficking is the child abuse in carrying out such crimes," Justice Kathpalia noted, highlighting the need to address this disturbing trend.

In the case, the accused, Narender, was booked following directions from the Juvenile Justice Board after a juvenile in conflict with law was presented before it. The board clarified that the juvenile could not be both the accused and the victim in the same First Information Report (FIR), leading to the action against Narender.

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The court denied bail, stressing the necessity of custodial interrogation to investigate potential networks exploiting children in similar crimes. "It is necessary to unearth if there was/is any other incident of similar nature involving the accused and any child. It also needs to be unearthed if there is a wide network engaged in such activities," the court stated.

This ruling underscores the urgent need to re-evaluate legal frameworks surrounding juvenility to protect vulnerable children from being manipulated by criminals. As society grapples with this growing menace, the Delhi High Court’s observations may spark broader discussions on reforming juvenile justice policies to ensure stricter safeguards and accountability.

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