The ministry has also called for stronger checks on recruitment and placement agenciesStates have been asked to verify whether agencies involved in overseas recruitment have the required licences and to take action against unauthorised operators.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed states and Union Territories to make greater use of technology to identify human trafficking victims and track suspected traffickersUnder the new guidelines, police have been asked to use facial recognition tools, cyber monitoring and real-time alerts to detect trafficking cases and identify people who may be victimsThe ministry has also recommended setting up special investigation teams for complicated cases involving more than one state or country.
The advisory also puts a focus on fraudulent overseas job offers, which are increasingly being used to lure Indians with promises of high-paying employment.
The MHA has asked chief secretaries and police chiefs to use Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with organised crime, when investigating trafficking networksThe aim is to target the larger criminal networks instead of focusing only on individuals operating at the lower levels.
Officials familiar with the advisory said it is the first detailed set of guidelines on human trafficking issued after India’s three new criminal laws came into force.
Technology has been given a major role in the ministry’s strategyStates have been asked to regularly use the National Automated Facial Recognition System (NAFRS) to compare the identities of rescued people and unidentified children with records on the Mission Vatsalya portal.
Police cyber units have also been told to monitor social media and recruitment websites for signs of online grooming, fake job offers and other suspicious activities linked to trafficking.
The MHA has further directed states and UTs to use platforms such as the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and Cri-MAC to identify trafficking hotspots and routes considered risky for migrants.
Police forces have also been asked to share information quickly and issue real-time alerts when suspected traffickers are found moving between states.
For complicated cases involving multiple states or countries, the ministry has suggested setting up Special Investigation Teams (SITs)Such teams can help investigators share evidence, information and resources across different jurisdictions.
The guidelines also call for closer monitoring of overseas recruitment scamsState cybercrime teams have been asked to keep a constant watch on social media platforms and job portals for suspicious employment offers that could be used to exploit or traffic Indians.
Focus On Trafficking Networks
The new approach also seeks to move investigations beyond individual agents and target the larger criminal networks behind trafficking.
The MHA has asked senior state officials and police chiefs to consider Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with organised crime, when investigating suitable trafficking cases.
For cases involving several states or international links, the ministry has suggested setting up specialised investigation teamsSuch teams can help investigators share evidence and resources and coordinate action across different jurisdictions.
Police have also been asked to use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and the Crime Multi Agency Centre (Cri-MAC) to identify trafficking routes and hotspots and share alerts about suspected traffickers.
Cri-MAC enables police forces to circulate information about serious crimes across the country in real time, while CCTNS provides a common digital system for recording and sharing crime and criminal information.
