Summary: On February 4, 2026, the Delhi High Court decided not to grant Savitri's request to avoid arrest before trial. She is accused of child trafficking and being part of an illegal liquor operation. Justice Girish Kathpalia highlighted how serious these accusations are and said more investigation is needed.
Savitri is accused of taking a child from her village to Delhi, where the child was allegedly made to help sell illegal liquor. This case started when a police officer saw the illegal activity during a patrol in Sangam Vihar.
Savitri's lawyers said that since the main suspect, a woman named Kajal, was already caught, there was no reason to arrest Savitri. They argued that Savitri's only role was bringing the child to Delhi and that she didn't take part in selling the liquor.
"There is nothing to suggest that she brought him to Delhi for sale of illicit liquor," argued Savitri's lawyer.
The State of Delhi, represented by Mr. Sanjeev Sabharwal, argued against letting Savitri avoid arrest. They said she was involved in the liquor operation and got money from it. They also said they needed to question her in custody to find out if more children were trafficked.
Justice Kathpalia pointed out that Savitri had been involved in 17 similar cases before and one related to drugs. These repeated offenses and her family's involvement in two more recent cases were important reasons for not granting her bail.
Because of how serious the child exploitation is and the need for a detailed investigation, Justice Girish Kathpalia decided not to let Savitri avoid arrest before trial on February 4, 2026.
"Grant of anticipatory bail in such cases would send very wrong signals across the society," emphasized Justice Kathpalia.
