The Delhi High Court has recently raised concerns about the increasing involvement of children in criminal activities, suggesting a need to re-evaluate the age of juvenility. Justice Girish Kathpalia of the Delhi High Court made this observation while hearing a case regarding a man seeking anticipatory bail who was accused of using a child for illicit liquor trafficking. The court dismissed the man's plea, emphasizing that the exploitation of children in such crimes is a graver issue than the crime itself.

The High Court noted the disturbing trend of criminals employing children in a wide array of illegal activities. These activities range from relatively less severe offenses like peddling drugs and alcohol to more serious crimes involving arms, ammunition, and acts of violence. This pattern has led to a societal contemplation of whether the current age of juvenility needs to be re-examined.

Justice Kathpalia articulated that the abuse of children to carry out crimes is a far more serious issue than the crimes themselves. In the specific case before the court, Narender was charged after a juvenile in conflict with the law was brought before the Juvenile Justice Board, who then directed that Narender be booked. The court denied Narender's request for anticipatory bail, emphasizing the necessity of custodial interrogation to ascertain if he was part of a larger network that uses children for unlawful activities. The court stated that it is necessary to unearth if there is a wide network engaged in similar activities using children and therefore did not find it a fit case to grant anticipatory bail.

The court's concern reflects a growing unease about the vulnerability of children to manipulation by criminal elements. By involving children in their operations, criminals exploit the leniency the juvenile justice system typically affords to young offenders. This not only endangers the children involved but also poses a challenge to law enforcement and the judicial system. The observation made by the Delhi High Court is a call to action for lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, and society as a whole to address the issue of child involvement in criminal activities. It highlights the need to strike a balance between protecting children's rights and ensuring accountability for serious crimes, especially when children are used as tools.