While replying a question on the establishment of Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in the country, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on February 2 told the Rajya Sabha in the ongoing Budget session of the Parliament that the conviction rate in human trafficking cases has declined in four years, from 2017 to 2020.

Union Minister of Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra stated in a written reply that the conviction of those accused for human trafficking has decreased from 24.5 per cent in 2017 to 19.4 per cent in 2018. It rose to 22.5 per cent in 2019 but declined again to 10.6 per cent in 2020.

The Union Ministry also informed that as per the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) annual publication titled Crime in India 2020 , a total of 696 AHTUs have been established across the country so far. AHTUs are specialised investigation units of the law enforcement agencies that were established by state governments in their respective states following a directive of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in 2008.

As per the data shared by the Union Home Ministry, financial assistance of about Rs 1,000 million has been provided to all states and Union Territories for strengthening and establishing AHTUs.

The question pertaining to the human trafficking was asked by Rajya Sabha MP (Member of Parliament) and Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev.

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