New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday described child trafficking as a menace confronting the entire nation and directed the Delhi government to probe the functioning of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) centres in the capital to ensure strict adherence to the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 (ART Act). A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan said it was crucial to regulate such centres so they do not become hubs for unethical practices or illegal trafficking of infants, whether with the assistance of willing couples or otherwise. The court was acting on submissions made by senior advocate and amicus curiae Aparna Bhat, who pointed out that an accused in a child trafficking case being monitored by the bench was previously employed at IVF centres in Delhi though their nature of employment was not clear. She stressed that the authorities must ensure compliance with Section 33 of the ART Act. Section 33 prohibits a range of practices, including exploiting children born through ART, selling embryos or gametes, transferring embryos into males or animals, and using agents to procure donors. The Act is aimed at regulating ART services, preventing misuse, and promoting ethical medical practices. Accepting Bhat's suggestion, the bench directed the Delhi government to conduct a survey of IVF centres in the city, review their adherence to ART norms, and confirm that none were complicit in trafficking. The state government has been asked to file its report before the next hearing. Hearing the matter on its own motion, the bench also expressed alarm at the larger network of child trafficking rackets operating across states. "There is an inter-state nexus. This is not a problem confined to Delhi. It is a challenge for the whole nation. You need to break this nexus to curb the menace of child trafficking," the court told Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, who appeared for the Delhi government and police. The proceedings follow the court's April 21 directive to Delhi Police to intensify efforts to trace a gang leader named "Pooja" and recover three infants who had been sold to different buyers. On that day, Inspector Vishvendra Chaudhary of Dwarka's special staff had told the bench that the infants' parents might themselves have sold them. Expressing grave concern, the bench had described the situation as "going from bad to worse" and warned that trafficking posed a "big challenge" for investigators. On Tuesday, Dave informed the court that of the 13 accused in the case, one remains absconding, seven are out on bail, and five are in judicial custody. She added that the police have already moved the Delhi High Court seeking cancellation of bail for two of the accused. In response, the bench urged the high court to take into account the seriousness of the offence and decide the matter without delay. The current proceedings originate from the Supreme Court's April 15 judgment in which it took suo motu cognisance of rampant trafficking of newborns from hospitals. On that occasion, the court cancelled the bail of 13 accused involved in an inter-state racket, directed that trials in such cases be completed within six months, and ordered suspension of hospital licences if infants were found missing or trafficked. "When any woman comes to deliver her baby in any hospital, it is the responsibility of the administration of the hospital to protect the newborn infant in all respects," the bench had then ruled. It had also castigated the "callous" approach of the Allahabad High Court for granting bail to the accused despite the "serious nature of the crime" and their established modus operandi....