Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday impleaded the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and the Social Justice Department of the state government in a habeas corpus plea seeking to trace Suraj Lama, a Kuwaiti resident missing since October 5 after arriving in Kochi. The plea was filed by his son, Santon Lama.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha impleaded the departments suo motu after the petitioner’s counsel informed that an impleading petition filed earlier had not yet reached the Bench.

After including the new respondents, the Court directed the government pleader to obtain specific instructions from them and ordered a comprehensive inquiry across all destitute, shelter, and senior citizens’ homes in Kerala. The Court said a report must be submitted by the next hearing.

In his affidavit, the petitioner expressed concern that his father might have been trafficked, misled, or taken to another state, or possibly accommodated in a care or shelter home. He, therefore, sought the involvement of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and the Social Justice Department for a thorough search.

The Bench orally directed that a complete search be conducted of every shelter home, protection home, and care institution in Kerala within a week.

The Court also noted that the missing man might have been helped by a Good Samaritan to travel by train to his hometown and said searches might soon need to extend beyond Kerala.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel submitted that the police began taking serious action only after the Court’s intervention, which she said was disappointing for an ordinary citizen.

Responding to this, the Bench acknowledged that the police force was under tremendous pressure but emphasised that the priority is to find the missing person before evaluating systemic lapses. “We will get this man. Don’t worry. We’ll involve any agency in India if needed. I have no doubt our police force is the finest in the country—it can easily be among the best in the world,” the Court said.

The case has been posted for further hearing on November 17.
(With LiveLaw inputs)