JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has ordered a formal investigation into serious allegations of human trafficking raised by an advocate, ending what it deemed to be persistent thwarting of the case by local police in Ajmer due to the potential involvement of a senior and politically influential police cadre official.The court has appointed Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Dinesh MN to lead the probe, considering the political sensitivity and gravity of the matter.The case stems from a complaint filed earlier this year by advocate Shekhar Mewada at the Christian Ganj police station in Ajmer. In his complaint, Mewada made the dramatic allegation that a Rajasthan Police Service officer, along with two others named Archana Jhala and Dinesh Murzani, was involved in a trafficking racket that targeted minor children.According to the complaint, children were trafficked through deception and coercion for the purpose of physical and sexual exploitation. Mewada’s complaint went on to claim that the accused knowingly harboured the trafficked minors and were directly involved in their abuse.Facing a persistent inaction from the local police in the face of the dramatic nature of the allegations, Mewada escalated the matter by approaching the High Court, this time citing political pressure and threats to his life. During the hearing, the court observed that law enforcement appeared reluctant to act due to the involvement of politically influential individuals.It noted that subsequent FIRs filed against the petitioner in Kota, Bundi and Pali seemed retaliatory in nature, aimed at silencing the complainant and obstructing the original investigation.The court was informed that although the petitioner complied with police summons, he was not interrogated. On his return to Jaipur, he was allegedly attacked and received life threats. Intervention from the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, and support from a group of advocates reportedly ensured his safety, according to his narration.Taking these concerns seriously, the court instructed that relevant documents from the pending criminal case in the Judicial Magistrate’s court in Ajmer be made available for review. It further directed that the said officer, Rajeev Dutta, and the other accused be formally added as respondents in the case. ADGP Dinesh MN, who appeared via video conferencing, was asked to be present during future proceedings and provide a detailed response along with case records.Advocate Mewada was allegedly attacked by unidentified assailants about two months ago. He has blamed the accused for orchestrating the attack and also alleged that multiple false cases have been filed against him in retaliation for pursuing the human trafficking complaint.This is not the first time that Dutta, who presently serves as OSD to the Lok Sabha Speaker, has faced controversy. In 2022, Rajasthan Congress MLA Bharat Singh had accused him of misusing official power in a letter to the then Director General of Police, Umesh Mishra.
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