LUCKNOW, June 10 -- Taking a serious view of the rising number of missing minor girls in the state capital, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday expressed concern over police functioning and directed senior officers to ensure effective monitoring of such cases. The court directed that the matter be listed as the first case at 10.15 am on June 10 (Wednesday). The court also sought an explanation from Lucknow police commissioner Amrendra Sengar regarding similar incidents reported across police stations in the city. Justice Praveen Kumar Giri passed the order in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by a minor girl through her father. Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Deeksha Sharma appeared before the court and filed her personal affidavit, which was taken on record. She informed the court that within the nine police stations under her supervision, 81 females, most of them minors, had either been abducted or enticed away. Of them, 66 had been traced while 15 were still missing. "So far as the present case is concerned, the detenue (aged about 12 years) has been recovered after this Court passed an order and she has been produced before this Court in police custody. She appears to be less than 12 years of age. However, when asked by this Court, she states that she wants to go with her father, namely Bhagani, who is present in the Court. Father of the detenue informs the Court that his daughter had been missing for the last four months," the court said. The court handed over custody of the minor girl to her father in the presence of the bar and the DCP and directed that whenever required, he would produce her before the court or police. The court noted that the investigating officer, sub-inspector Ashwani Kumar Rai, had neither conducted a proper investigation nor made adequate efforts to trace the girl. It observed that the girl could be recovered only after the court's intervention, which "speaks volumes about the manner of investigation conducted by him". Observing that there could be several similar cases not known to the police, the court directed DCP Deeksha Sharma to monitor all such cases and submit a report within three days. It further directed that if required, SHOs, chowki in-charges and investigating officers be made more vigilant and competent officers deployed, as the matter concerned the life and liberty of minor girls. The court also directed the DCP to identify cases that had not been reported to the police and submit a report on the next date of hearing. She was further directed to appear before court along with all SHOs, circle officers and investigating officers. The court also directed police commissioner Amrendra Sengar to submit his explanation regarding similar incidents reported across all police stations in Lucknow. MANOJ KUMAR SINGH...