SC Orders Mandatory FIRs in Missing Child Cases

The Supreme Court of India ordered all police stations in India to register a First Information Report for every complaint of a missing child or missing person. The order was passed on 22 May 2026 by a bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan. The directions cover missing children, missing adults, kidnapping-related offences, Anti-Human Trafficking Units, and a national data grid for trafficking cases.

First Information Report in Criminal Procedure

A First Information Report is the written record of information relating to a cognisable offence under Indian criminal law. In missing child cases, the Court directed immediate registration of FIRs without a preliminary inquiry. The FIRs must include relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to kidnapping.

Missing Child Cases and Kidnapping Presumption

The Court directed police to proceed on the presumption of kidnapping or abduction when a child goes missing. This direction applies from the outset of the complaint and does not depend on a guardian’s independent search. The order also refers to the problem of around 47,000 untraced children in India.

Anti-Human Trafficking Units and National Data Grid

Anti-Human Trafficking Units are specialised police units that handle trafficking-related offences under the criminal justice system. The Court directed that all AHTUs across India must become fully functional within four weeks. The Ministry of Home Affairs was directed to create an all-India data grid linking every police station on a single platform with a dedicated portal for human trafficking, missing children, and missing women.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Supreme Court of India is the apex judicial body under the Constitution of India.
• A cognisable offence allows police to arrest without a warrant and to start investigation under criminal law.
• The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1860 in India.
• Anti-Human Trafficking Units function at the police level for trafficking-related investigation and rescue work.

Standard Operating Procedure and Recovery Verification

The Court constituted a committee headed by Justice (retd) Mukta Gupta to frame a pan-India standard operating procedure for missing children cases. The Court also directed that recovered persons or children should undergo Aadhaar verification or be issued an Aadhaar card.