Bhubaneswar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted 10 persons in connection with the trafficking of a minor Bangladeshi girl from across the eastern border into Odisha.
In the chargesheet filed before its special court in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, the central probe agency has charged the accused with luring the girl with the promise of employment and then pushing her into immoral trafficking. The investigation, which exposed a major human trafficking network, further revealed that the accused took advantage of the poor financial condition of the girl’s family to execute their sinister design.
The incident had come to light after Madhupatna police rescued the 17-year-old girl roaming in Link Road area in Cuttack on the night of November 9 last year. She was later handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
Initially, the Odisha Police had filed two chargesheets against six accused, including two women, in the case in a POSCO court. After taking over the probe, the NIA in September this year searched five locations in Kolkata and Bangaon in West Bengal and arrested two more men for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of the minor Bangladeshi girl. A huge amount of Indian, Bangladeshi and other foreign currencies, besides several incriminating documents, were also seized with the agency claiming it to be a a significant step towards dismantling the human trafficking network engaged in trafficking Bangladeshi girls into India from across the border.
Examination of their social media accounts, and their financial transactions, led to the arrest of another two of their associates.
The probe agency, accordingly, has filed a chargesheet against all the 10 accused under various Sections of BNS, The POCSO Act and The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.