NIA Arrests the prime suspect in Jharkhand Human Trafficking Case

New Delhi. Today, (03.02.2021), NIA arrested accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu@ Shiv Shankar Mahto @ Shankar, aged about 41 years, son of Late Chyota Ganjhu, resident of village Ganaloya, PS Murhu of District Khunti, Jharkhand, in the case pertaining to a Human Trafficking racket being run in the guise of placement agencies. The accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu was the owner of two placement agencies, namely M/s Laxmi Placement Service & Birsa Security and Placement, which were being operated by his brother and notorious kingpin of human trafficking racket in Jharkhand and Delhi, Panna Lal Mahto who was earlier arrested in the case.

The case arose out of FIR No. 07/2019 dated 19.07.2019 registered at PS-AHTU, District Khunti, Jharkhand u/s sections 16, 18 of Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act. NIA re-registered the case on 04.03.2020 and took up the investigation.

During the investigation, it was revealed that accused Panna Lal Mahto and his wife Sunita Devi were operating a big Human Trafficking racket in the guise of three placement agencies in Delhi. They used to bring poor and innocent minor boys and girls from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing them with jobs in Delhi and neighbouring states, but they were exploited and were never paid the promised remunerations.

The accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu@ Shiv Shankar Mahto @ Shankar, was arrested from Khunti, Jharkhand. He had played a significant role in trafficking minors from Jharkhand. The accused was produced before the NIA Spl Court, Ranchi today and has been taken in police custody for four days.