In a case that sent ripples through the corridors of the Delhi High Court, Justice Ajay Digpaul on Monday cancelled the bail granted to two women Bimla and Pooja accused of being part of a sprawling child trafficking network spread across Delhi, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The court observed that the lower court had granted bail in a "mechanical manner," ignoring the seriousness of the offence and the societal impact of such crimes.
Background
The case stems from an FIR filed in April 2025 at Uttam Nagar Police Station after the rescue of a five-day-old baby from a trafficking operation. Police investigations revealed a disturbing racket where newborns were allegedly sold to buyers for ₹1–1.5 lakh each.
Bimla and Pooja, along with several others, were accused of purchasing and distributing infants through an organised interstate network. According to the prosecution, Pooja acted as a key coordinator, managing funds and logistics, while Bimla allegedly served as one of the buyers. Both women were earlier granted bail by the trial court Bimla on July 22, and Pooja on July 30, 2025.
Aggrieved by these decisions, the State sought cancellation of bail, arguing that the accused were central figures in a heinous crime that endangered public morality and the rights of newborns.
Court’s Observations
During the hearing, the Delhi High Court took note of the investigation’s extensive findings WhatsApp chats, financial transactions, and witness statements that pointed to the existence of a “systematic and profit-driven trade in human infants.”
Justice Digpaul stated,
"The learned ASJ failed to consider the nature and gravity of the offence and the real possibility of witness intimidation.” He added that the lower court’s reliance on the filing of the charge sheet to justify bail was “insufficient in an offence of such magnitude.”
Referring to Supreme Court precedents, including Ashok Dhankad v. State (NCT of Delhi) and Pinki v. State of U.P., the bench underlined that bail in cases involving grave social offences like child trafficking should be granted with utmost caution.
"Liberty is sacred," the court noted, "but it cannot override the collective conscience of society when the crime shakes the moral fabric of the nation."
The judge also highlighted that both women allegedly destroyed their mobile phones to erase digital evidence and maintained active contact with other accused persons through frequent calls and money transfers.
Decision
Finding the trial court’s orders "arbitrary and unsustainable," the Delhi High Court set aside the bail granted to both accused. Justice Digpaul observed that
“the magnitude of the crime, involving commodification of newborns, warrants the highest degree of judicial scrutiny.”
Accordingly, the court directed Bimla and Pooja to surrender before the trial court within seven days, warning that coercive steps would follow if they failed to comply. The bench further instructed the trial court to conduct an expeditious trial, given the grave nature of the offences and the interstate dimension of the trafficking network.
With that, the courtroom fell silent as the order was read an unmistakable message from the Delhi High Court that crimes against the most vulnerable will not be tolerated lightly.
Case Title: State (NCT of Delhi) vs. Bimla and State (NCT of Delhi) vs. Pooja
Case Numbers:
- CRL.M.C. 6327/2025 (State vs. Bimla)
- CRL.M.C. 6328/2025 (State vs. Pooja)
Date of Judgment: November 3, 2025
