NIA chargesheets 11 Bagladeshi nationals in massive human trafficking case
Feb 06, 2024
New Delhi [India], February 6 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge-sheeted 12 Bangladeshi nationals in a massive human trafficking case involving the infiltration and trafficking of foreign nationals into India via the India-Bangladesh border, the agency said on Tuesday.
The accused have been identified as Md Ferdous Bapari, Muhammed Oli Ullah, Amol Das, Masud Sarder, MD Sohag Gazi, Suman Shaik, Sk. Md. Bellal, Md Mirazul Islam, Zakir Khan, Md Badal Houladar, Md. Kabir Talukder, Gharami Mohamad Bashir Hosen, Saudi Zakir.
The NIA said the accused had also entered India illegally, without valid travel documents, and had fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents.
"These men were trafficked through porous Indo-Bangla border points in Benapole and Jashore near West Bengal, and Akhaura near Tripura, with the help of touts operating on both sides of the border," said the NIA, citing its investigation.
The agency said that eight of the accused had subsequently also been involved in the trafficking of several other Bangladeshi nationals in a similar manner.
"A total of 22 such victims of the accused have been identified so far by the agency, which has further found that the victims were lured into India on false promises of jobs and a better livelihood," it said.
It said that the victims had paid the touts along the border for crossing into India and were directed to reach Bengaluru.
"Once they landed in the trafficker's waste segregation godowns in the southern city, they were subjected to forced labour for meagre wages and were confined in various sheds built specially for the purpose. Those who protested were threatened by the traffickers of landing in prison on account of being illegal migrants," said the NIA.
NIA searches earlier of the premises of the 12 chargesheeted men, as well two absconding accused Mohammed Sahajlal Haldar and Idrish, had led to the seizure of 61 Aadhar cards along with other Indian identity documents obtained fraudulently, it said.
"Investigations to uncover the modus operandi for procuring Indian identity documents are continuing. The hunt for the absconding accused is also in progress," added the NIA.
