New Delhi, April 8: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sentenced four Bangladeshi nationals to three years of rigorous imprisonment on Wednesday for their involvement in a significant international human trafficking case. Each defendant was also fined ₹20,000, with an additional month in jail if they fail to pay the fine.
The convicted individuals are Zakir Khan, Badal Hauladar, Kabir Talukdar, and Mohammad Bachhu Gharami. The NIA Special Court in Bengaluru imposed the sentence under the Foreigners Act and the Passport (Entry into India) Act provisions.
The accused admitted their guilt in court, revealing that they had illegally entered India from Bangladesh via Benapole, Jessore, and Akhaura. After arriving in India, they fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents and began working in waste segregation in the outskirts of Bengaluru. The NIA’s investigation also uncovered that these individuals had employed other Bangladeshi trafficking victims in their unit.
During the investigation, the NIA discovered that the accused had leased land in Bengaluru and constructed sheds to shelter trafficked Bangladeshi citizens.
The NIA initiated this case in November 2023 based on self-initiated intelligence and thorough surveillance, leading to the dismantling of a cross-border human trafficking racket. A nationwide search operation followed, resulting in the arrest of a total of 12 individuals. Authorities seized Bangladeshi identity documents, digital devices, counterfeit Indian documents, and Indian currency from them. The NIA filed a charge sheet in February 2024 and arrested two additional suspects in May 2024.
The NIA stated that it will continue its investigation to completely dismantle this criminal module and ensure that all offenders are punished according to the law.
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