India, Aug. 12 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Union government to submit within a week a report detailing measures taken to curb what it termed the "very rampant" crime of child trafficking in the national capital.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, hearing the matter on its own motion, expressed dismay at the scale of the problem and the interstate gangs operating within and beyond Delhi. "We would like to know from the Union government what steps have been taken to curb this crime. Let this report be filed at the earliest," the court ordered.

The bench, assisted by senior advocate Aparna Bhat, also called for copies of the bail orders by subordinate courts releasing two accused in child trafficking cases in...