3 nationals of Myanmar charge-sheeted by NIA in human trafficking case

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three nationals of Myanmar in a case involving the illegal infiltration and trafficking of foreign nationals, primarily of Rohingya origin, into India through the India-Bangladesh border, an official said on Sunday.

The accused are Rabi Islam alias "Rabiul Islam", Shafi Alam alias "Sofi Alom" alias "Sayedul Islam", and Mohammad Usman -- all permanent residents of Maungdaw district in Myanmar -- a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

According to the NIA, they had entered India illegally, in collusion with traffickers and touts, without valid travel documents, and were also involved in facilitating the infiltration of numerous other foreign nationals through unauthorised and illegal border routes.

Part of a well-organised network of traffickers and touts involved in various illegal activities, they were also engaged in luring vulnerable Rohingya women, who had taken refuge in Bangladesh, into India on the false promises of marriage to Rohingya men, the official said.

The NIA said such women were then sold for forced marriages across various Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana, and Haryana.

The NIA's investigation uncovered instances and evidence of forgery of documents and established that Rabi Islam and Mohammad Usman had obtained Aadhaar cards fraudulently.

The duo had also used these cards to procure multiple SIM cards and open bank accounts, further concealing their true identities, the spokesperson said.

With this charge sheet, the official said the NIA, which had started probing the case on November 7 last year, has taken a significant step towards uncovering and dismantling a major international human trafficking racket.