NIA court sentences two Bangladeshi nationals to 2-year RI in human trafficking case

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) In a significant verdict, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Chennai has sentenced two Bangladeshi nationals to two years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) each in connection with a 2023 human trafficking case involving illegal entry, fake documentation, and exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

According to a press release issued by NIA on Tuesday, the individuals whom the court has convicted have been identified as Shahabuddin Hossain alias Md Sahab Uddin and Munna alias Noor Karim alias Nur Karim, both residents of Chittagong district, Bangladesh. In addition to this, the special NIA court has also imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 on each of the convicts.

These two convicts had been arrested in the case registered in November 2023. The NIA had filed a chargesheet against Shahabuddin and Munna, while a separate trial is underway against the third accused, Babu SK alias Babu Shoriful alias Md Soriful Babumiya, who is also a Bangladeshi national.

The NIA probe has further disclosed that both convicts illegally entered India with the assistance of traffickers and touts who have been operating along the porous border areas. Once they entered the country, they somehow procured fake Indian identity documents such as Aadhaar and PAN cards. After this, they used these documents to open bank accounts and purchase SIM cards, thereby establishing a seemingly legal identity within the country.

The investigation further revealed that Shahabuddin and Munna, in collaboration with Babu, were engaged in the trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India. The victims were brought in illegally, made to stay under coercive conditions, and exploited through forced employment. The accused allegedly profited from this illicit activity by placing the victims in low-wage, exploitative work environments.

The NIA further stated that this case is part of a broader crackdown on transnational human trafficking networks that exploit border vulnerabilities for illegal immigration and identity fraud. According to officials, the verdict reinforces India’s commitment to combating human trafficking, illegal immigration, and organised cross-border crimes, with further proceedings against the third accused ongoing.

--IANS

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