B’luru: NIA files supplementary charge sheet against 4 in Sri Lankan human trafficking case

PTI, Jan 20, 2024, 9:31 AM IST

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a supplementary charge sheet against four accused in a 2021 case relating to human trafficking of 39 Sri Lankan nationals into India on the pretext of taking them to Canada, an official statement said.

Mohamed Imran khan alias Imran, who was arrested by the NIA recently, has been chargesheeted under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dealing with trafficking, confinement and conspiracy, along with absconders Seeni Aabul Khan, Mohamed Ibrahim alias Ahmed and Pudumadam Imran alias Hajiyar alias Imran Khan, before a special court in Bengaluru, it said.

The accused were involved in trafficking of the 39 Sri Lankans to Mangaluru via Tamil Nadu by falsely promising them that they were being taken to Canada, the statement said.

The victims were confined in various lodges across Mangaluru and were initially arrested by Karnataka Police, as accomplices along with the accused, it said.

“The NIA had launched investigations after taking over the case on 13 July 2021 and found the 39 to be the victims of a human trafficking ring,” the statement said.

The agency had filed the original charge sheet in the case on October 5, 2021 against six accused who were involved in the trafficking, while the victims were freed and sent back home, it added.

NIA investigations revealed that Mohammed Imran Khan, in connivance with Pudhumadam Imran and his friends Seeni Aabul Khan and Mohamed Ibrahim, received the Sri Lankan nationals in mid sea, and brought them to Bengaluru and further to Mangaluru, the statement said.

Further investigations showed that the entire initial conspiracy was planned by Pudumadam Imran along with one Eesan, a Sri Lankan national, who is one of the absconding accused in the case, it added.

The accused had collected vast sums of money from the victims, and also subsequently from their families, by falsely promising to take them to Canada with valid passports and visas, the statement said.

NIA efforts to arrest the remaining accused persons are continuing, it added.