Human Trafficking Has Assumed A New Avatar In The Modern Era: Justice N. Kotiswar Singh

Justice Kotiswar Singh made the remarks while inaugurating a One-Day State-Level Anti-Human Trafficking Conference organised by Prajwala in collaboration with the Department of Women Development & Child Welfare, Government of Telangana, Telangana State Police, Department of Prosecution, Telangana State Legal Services Authority, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Women Safety Wing, Department of Education, Department of Labour and the Telangana High Court at the Institution of Engineers (India), Hyderabad, on August 1, marking the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The conference focused on strengthening institutional collaboration against conventional and emerging forms of human trafficking, with the central theme being "Human Trafficking for Online Criminality."

The conference was inaugurated by Justice N. Kotiswar Singh in the presence of Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of the Telangana High Court and senior officials of the Government of Telangana. A special video message from Supreme Court Judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted the need for stronger legal and institutional responses to human trafficking.

Addressing the gathering, Justice Kotiswar Singh said trafficking had evolved significantly over time. Referring to ancient civilisations such as Greece and Mesopotamia, he noted that slavery existed not only for economic gain but also for entertainment, illustrating the cruelty of humankind. He said that unlike conventional crimes such as kidnapping, trafficking involves psychological manipulation and therefore demands a far more intricate, patient and sensitive approach to investigation and prosecution.

Explaining the legal framework, Justice Singh referred to the Palermo Protocol and said that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) now provides a comprehensive definition of trafficking, covering recruitment, transportation, harbouring and receipt of persons through deception, coercion and other exploitative means. He observed that the definition reflects the principles embodied in the Palermo Protocol. He also referred to the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the Ujjawala Scheme, the NALSA Scheme (2015) and Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) as important mechanisms for addressing trafficking.

Justice Singh stressed that effective inter-agency coordination remains indispensable in combating trafficking and observed that the lack of coordination among agencies continues to be a major challenge. He emphasised that adequate financial support for victim rehabilitation is essential, warning that without meaningful rehabilitation victims remain vulnerable to being re-trafficked. Addressing police officers, he urged investigating officers to devote sufficient time, patience and sensitivity while handling trafficking cases, observing that such cases should never be investigated in a hurried manner.

Concluding his address, Justice Singh drew a parallel with the warriors assembled at Kurukshetra in the Bhagavad Gita, stating that society today faces a similar challenge where all stakeholders must unite to combat one of the gravest crimes against humanity—human trafficking.

Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya said it was important to recognise the increasingly complex and less visible forms of trafficking and called for trauma-informed and victim-centred justice that restores dignity and agency to survivors. She observed that the nature of trafficking has changed significantly and emphasised the need for greater public awareness about online frauds. Referring to scam compounds, impersonation and "pig butchering" scams, she explained how victims are forced into building romantic relationships over weeks or months before being used to deceive others into losing money. She further observed that the core issue in every form of trafficking is the victim's lack of agency, choice and independence, adding that the victim's consent is immaterial in determining the offence of trafficking under the law.

Smt. Shikha Goel, IPS, Principal Secretary, Home Department, Government of Telangana, spoke about Telangana's coordinated anti-trafficking framework and highlighted the importance of integrating cyber capabilities with law enforcement to address emerging forms of trafficking facilitated through digital platforms.

The conference featured three technical sessions on the Telangana State Anti-Human Trafficking Policy, trafficking for forced criminality in online scam operations, and the National Victim Protection Plan. During the second session, Dr. Prasad Patibandla, Director, Centre for Research on Cyber Intelligence and Digital Forensics, explained the functioning of online scam operations and educated participants on precautions against cyber scams. In the third session, Senior Advocate Aparna Bhat explained the Victim Protection Plan laid down by the Supreme Court in Prajwala v. Union of India.

The programme also featured the screening of Trapped Behind the Scam, survivor testimonies, and a cultural presentation titled Mrigthrusna portraying the realities of trafficking while celebrating the resilience of survivors. Champions Against Human Trafficking were felicitated for their contribution to access to justice, victim protection and institutional responses.

Speaking on the occasion, Ch. Panchakshari, Member Secretary, Telangana State Legal Services Authority, underscored that rehabilitation is central to anti-trafficking efforts, stating that "without rehabilitation of the trafficked person, there is no meaning in rescuing them." He said the Telangana State Legal Services Authority has been disbursing compensation to trafficking victims immediately upon receiving orders from District Legal Services Authorities and has been facilitating legal aid, legal representation, victim compensation and other statutory remedies. He urged Public Prosecutors and Police Officers to sensitise victims about their entitlement to compensation under the Telangana Victim Compensation Scheme and stated that Legal Services Institutions are also providing assistance through Para Legal Volunteers at Victim Support Clinics established by Prajwala.

Among those present were Smt. Shruti Ojha, IAS, Director, Women Development & Child Welfare; Sri S. Sambasiva Reddy, Director of Prosecution; Smt. D. Harichandana, IAS, Secretary, Labour, Employment, Training & Factories; Dr. Mahesh M. Bhagwat, IPS, Director General (Law & Order), Telangana; Smt. Abhilasha Bisht, IPS, Director, RBVRR Telangana Police Academy; Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, SERP; Sri B. Papi Reddy, Law Secretary, Government of Telangana, and other senior officials, who emphasised the importance of coordinated institutional efforts to combat trafficking.

Dr. Sunitha Krishnan said that human trafficking has changed and responses must evolve accordingly. She observed that whether exploitation occurs in a brothel, factory or online scam centre, the crime remains the same, adding that the conference reflected a shared commitment by the judiciary, government, law enforcement, civil society and survivors to ensure that "no victim is left invisible and no trafficker goes unchallenged."

The conference brought together around 500 delegates from across Telangana, including members of the judiciary, government officials, prosecutors, police officers, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit personnel, District Legal Services Authorities, Women & Child Welfare officials, SERP officers, Labour Department officials, Education Department representatives, civil society organisations, development practitioners and survivors. The event also marked 30 years of Prajwala's work in combating human trafficking and promoting survivor-centred rehabilitation and access to justice.