An offence has been registered against the owner of a stone quarry for employing children and practising bonded labour in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Friday.
Based on a complaint lodged by a tribal woman, the case was registered on Thursday against one Prakash Bhide, a native of Sangamner, under relevant sections of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976, Juvenile Justice Act 1986 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, an official from Mokhada police station said.
No arrest has been made in this connection so far the police said. The woman's family lived in a village in Mokhada with their two children aged 15 and 12. They used to work as labourers.
The accused came down to Mokhada to pick the couple to work in his quarry and although initially he agreed that the children will not work, he later made them do labourious tasks and refused to pay them.
(With PTI inputs)
