Following Alleged Surge In Missing Person Cases, PIL In Delhi High Court Seeks Recognition Of 'Right To Be Found'

A plea has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking recognition and enforcement of the “Right to be Found” as an integral facet of the Right to Life, in the backdrop of what has been described as an “unprecedented crisis” of missing persons in the national capital.

The petition, filed by NGO Freedom Reclaimed, states that more than 800 persons were reported missing in Delhi between January 1 and January 15, 2026, as per data compiled from the official ZIPNET portal.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia today asked if a similar petition is pending before the Supreme Court and listed the matter for hearing on February 18.

The plea claims that between January 2024 and February this year, as many as 48,347 persons remain “untraced” in Delhi. It states that of 2,32,737 persons reported missing between 2016 and January 15, 2026, 52,326 remain untraced, including 6,931 children.

“The grievance arises from the systemic failure and institutional lethargy of the Respondents in implementing mandatory investigative protocols for missing persons. Despite the existence of Standing Order No. 252 and the MHA standard operating procedure (SOP) of 2024, the National Capital Territory of Delhi has witnessed an alarming disappearance of over 800 persons within the first 15 days of 2026 alone,” the plea states.

The Delhi Police recently rejected media reports suggesting a surge in cases of missing girls, calling the claims misleading and driven by paid online promotion aimed at creating panic.

In a statement, the police said they had tracked the origin of the viral claims and found that the narrative around a sharp rise in missing girls was being amplified through sponsored posts.

The NGO has contended that the figure is not a mere statistical fluctuation but a “clear indicator of a structural collapse in preventive policing and investigative efficacy.”

The plea states that the figures underscore the fact that disappearances in the national capital have transcended "isolated incidents" and have evolved into a systemic phenomenon where the city's inhabitants, particularly the vulnerable women and children are being swallowed by a vacuum of police accountability.

It submits that systemic delays in registering FIRs, failure to act during the “Golden Hour,” and non-compliance with mandatory investigative protocols amount to unconstitutional State inaction.

A direction is sought on the Union Government and Delhi Police to ensure strict implementation of the “Golden Hour” protocol and mandatory FIR registration without waiting period.

It further seeks a direction on the authorities to undertake a technical and data audit of the ZIPNET portal within a time-bound period, and to ensure that no missing person entry is uploaded without mandatory particulars including photograph and permanent address.

A direction is sought on the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to constitute a High-Level Coordination Committee for periodic cross-verification of missing person records with data relating to unidentified patients in Government hospitals and unidentified bodies in mortuaries in Delhi.

Title: FREEDOM RECLAIMED v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS