OBJECTIVE
The Investigating Officer (IO) shall focus on:
Rescue and protection of victims at the earliest opportunity.
Prevention of further exploitation and victimization.
Collection of scientific, documentary, digital, and financial evidence.
Identification and arrest of traffickers, recruiters, transporters, harborers, and exploiters.
Rehabilitation and restoration of victims through coordination with welfare agencies.
Conducting a victim-centric, legally sustainable, and qualitative investigation.
Dismantling organized trafficking networks.
KEY INVESTIGATION OBJECTIVES
A. Victim Protection
Rescue of victims.
Immediate medical care.
Safe shelter and rehabilitation.
B. Scientific and Documentary Evidence
Medical evidence.
Digital evidence.
Financial records.
Travel and communication records.
C. Identification of Trafficking Network
Recruiters.
Transporters.
Harborers.
Financiers.
Exploiters.
D. Conviction of Offenders
Through scientific, documentary, electronic, and oral evidence.
APPLICABLE LEGAL PROVISIONS
The IO shall apply appropriate provisions including:
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
Human Trafficking provisions.
Kidnapping and Abduction provisions.
Forced Labour provisions.
Sexual Exploitation provisions.
Organized Crime provisions (where applicable).
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act
Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act
Child Labour Laws
Information Technology Act (where online recruitment is involved)
Relevant Labour and Immigration Laws
I. RECEIPT OF COMPLAINT
Receive complaint promptly.
Register FIR immediately where cognizable offence is disclosed.
Send copies of FIR to all concerned officers.
Hand over copy of FIR to complainant with acknowledgement.
Record complainant statement in vernacular language.
II. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
Rescue Priority
The first priority shall be:
Rescue of victims.
Prevention of movement of victims.
Prevention of destruction of evidence.
Formation of Rescue Team
The team may include:
Police officers.
Women police officers.
Child Welfare Committee representatives.
Labour Department officials.
NGO representatives.
Medical personnel.
III. RESCUE OPERATION
Conduct rescue operation immediately.
Ensure safety of victims.
Separate victims from accused persons.
Avoid handcuffing or treating victims as accused.
Conduct videography and photography of rescue operation.
Prepare Rescue Panchanama.
IV. VICTIM-CENTRIC APPROACH
The IO shall:
Treat victims with dignity and compassion.
Avoid intimidation or repeated questioning.
Ensure privacy and confidentiality.
Provide:
Food.
Clothing.
Shelter.
Medical assistance.
Ensure female officers interview female victims.
V. AGE VERIFICATION
Where victim is suspected to be a child:
Collect:
Birth Certificate.
School Records.
Aadhaar.
Government Records.
If unavailable:
Conduct age determination examination.
VI. MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Victims shall be medically examined promptly.
Medical examination shall document:
Physical injuries.
Sexual assault indicators.
Signs of abuse.
Psychological trauma.
Age estimation (if required).
Medical certificates shall be collected promptly.
VII. STATEMENT OF VICTIMS
Statements shall be recorded in a comfortable environment.
Statements should preferably be recorded at:
Shelter Home.
Hospital.
Residence.
Avoid summoning victims repeatedly to Police Station.
Record statements in the language spoken by the victim.
Obtain statement under appropriate legal provisions before Magistrate where required.
VIII. SCENE OF OFFENCE INVESTIGATION
The IO shall visit:
Recruitment location.
Transit points.
Shelter houses.
Brothels.
Factories.
Work sites.
Residences.
Hotels and lodges.
The IO shall:
Conduct Panchanama.
Prepare Rough Sketch.
Collect Geo-Location Coordinates.
Photograph and videograph the scene.
IX. COLLECTION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
The IO shall seize:
Registers.
Employment records.
Identity cards.
Passports.
Travel documents.
Mobile phones.
Computers.
Diaries.
Account books.
Contracts.
Receipts.
X. DIGITAL EVIDENCE
The IO shall collect:
Mobile phones.
SIM cards.
CDRs.
WhatsApp chats.
Telegram messages.
Social media communications.
Emails.
Online advertisements.
Recruitment messages.
Proper seizure and hash-value procedures shall be followed wherever applicable.
XI. FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION
The IO shall investigate:
Bank accounts.
UPI transactions.
Money transfers.
Hawala transactions.
Property acquired through trafficking proceeds.
The financial trail shall be established.
XII. EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES
The IO shall examine:
Victims.
Co-workers.
Neighbours.
Hotel staff.
Transport operators.
Labour contractors.
Recruitment agents.
Shelter home staff.
Statements shall be recorded promptly.
XIII. IDENTIFICATION OF ACCUSED
The IO shall identify:
Recruiters.
Transporters.
Harborers.
Brothel keepers.
Employers.
Financiers.
Organized crime members.
Photographs and criminal histories shall be collected.
XIV. ARREST OF ACCUSED
Arrest accused after collection of prima facie evidence.
Follow legal safeguards regarding arrest.
Prepare:
Arrest Memo.
Personal Search Memo.
Grounds of Arrest.
Inform relatives as required by law.
XV. INTERROGATION OF ACCUSED
The IO shall ascertain:
Source of victims.
Recruitment methods.
Transportation routes.
Financial gains.
Accomplices.
Previous trafficking activities.
Organized network involvement.
XVI. REHABILITATION OF VICTIMS
The IO shall coordinate with:
Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
District Child Protection Unit.
Women Development Department.
Labour Department.
NGOs.
Shelter Homes.
Victims shall be linked to:
Rehabilitation schemes.
Compensation schemes.
Skill development programmes.
Education and counselling services.
XVII. INTER-STATE COORDINATION
Where trafficking crosses state boundaries:
Inform concerned Police Units.
Share intelligence.
Conduct joint operations.
Execute warrants and arrests through proper channels.
XVIII. COURT PROCEEDINGS
The IO shall:
Oppose bail where justified.
File applications for:
Police Custody.
Remand Extension.
Test Identification Parade.
Verification of Sureties.
Maintain liaison with Public Prosecutor.
XIX. CHARGE SHEET
The Draft Charge Sheet shall establish:
Recruitment
How victims were recruited.
Transportation
Means and routes used.
Harboring
Locations where victims were kept.
Exploitation
Sexual exploitation.
Forced labour.
Begging.
Domestic servitude.
Organ trafficking.
Other exploitation.
Financial Gain
Benefits obtained by accused.
Scientific Evidence
Medical Reports.
Digital Evidence.
Financial Records.
Witness Evidence
Victim Statements.
Independent Witnesses.
The opinion of PP/APPO shall be obtained before filing.
XX. FINAL REPORT
Analyze all evidence.
Correlate victim statements with:
Medical evidence.
Digital evidence.
Financial records.
Documentary evidence.
Submit Charge Sheet/Final Report within stipulated time.
RESPONSIBILITY OF INVESTIGATING OFFICER
The IO shall ensure:
Prompt rescue of victims.
Victim-sensitive investigation.
Protection of victims from re-trafficking.
Scientific collection of evidence.
Financial investigation of trafficking proceeds.
Effective rehabilitation and restoration.
Successful prosecution of traffickers.
GOAL
To rescue victims, dismantle trafficking networks, protect vulnerable persons from exploitation, ensure rehabilitation and restoration of victims, and secure conviction of traffickers through scientific, victim-centric, and legally sustainable investigation.