‘Adults housed in juvenile homes’

Ashraya and other NGOs informed the high court of cases where adults are housed in juvenile homes due to alleged oversight of the Juvenile Justice Board and its staff.

Their submission followed the suo motto public interest litigation on the apathy of juvenile homes in the state.

Citing a case, they said that on June 14, a boy, Madhu, was transferred from the central prison to the observation home in Madivala although his transfer certificate clearly stated his age as above 18. Juvenile homes often go by the cover letter provided by prison authorities without checking documents such as the individual’s birth certificate, they said. The court adjourned the case to June 25.