In yet another success in its fight against human traffickers operating across the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday, May 28, arrested a key conspirator and another accused in a case relating to trafficking of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas through the North Eastern borders.
A resident of the northeastern state of Tripura, Jalil Miah, was arrested by the NIA team following raids conducted at his hideout. In February, the NIA had declared a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Jalil, who had been absconding in the case, in addition to nine others.
Thirty-three persons were arrested earlier in the case (RC-01/2023/NIA-GUW), which NIA had taken over from Assam Special Task Force (STF), that had originally registered an FIR on March 22, 2023, under various sections of IPC and Passport Act 1967. NIA has so far chargesheeted 24 accused.
“Investigations have revealed that Jalil was one of the main conspirators in the human trafficking racket and a close associate of chargesheeted accused Jiban Rudra Pal alias Jibon alias Suman,” said the NIA.
“He was also closely associated with two other absconders, Juj Miah and Shanto, all hailing from Tripura.”
Though Jalil had managed to escape during the initial operation on November 8, 2023, in which 29 accused were arrested, the NIA said, electronic devices and other incriminating documents seized from his residence had pointed to his complicity.
Pan India searches conducted by NIA in November 2023 led to the seizure of a whole lot of incriminating data, including digital devices, foreign currency (Bangladeshi Taka and US Dollar), Aadhar Cards, and PAN cards. A subsequent crackdown on December 29 last year led to the arrest of another four accused in the case, exposing a massive network of human traffickers.
As per NIA investigations, a large number of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas are being trafficked to India every month through the porous stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border. “They are further transported to different parts of the country, provided fake documents, and forced into labour,” said the NIA.
“The manhunt for tracking the other absconders is continuing and investigations are in progress to connect the missing links in the elaborate racket,” added the NIA. (With inputs from ANI)
