2014 TN child trafficking horror: CB-CID tracks down key accused after 8-year manhunt
The charges stemmed from the trafficking of two minors across multiple districts, including Tittakudi, Vridhachalam, Salem, and Villupuram, where they were subjected to forced prostitution
Representative Image (File)
CHENNAI: The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) has arrested two key absconding accused in a high-profile human trafficking case involving the sexual exploitation of two minor girls, marking a significant breakthrough in an 11-year legal saga.
The arrested persons have been identified as Sathishkumar and Tamizharasi aka Kavitha.
In 2014, the Tittakudi police station registered a case under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 363 (kidnapping), along with provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The charges stemmed from the trafficking of two minors across multiple districts, including Tittakudi, Vridhachalam, Salem, and Villupuram, where they were subjected to forced prostitution.
Following a directive from the Madras High Court in 2016, the case was transferred to the CB-CID for deeper investigation. A charge sheet was later filed before the Mahila Court in Cuddalore, leading to the conviction of 16 individuals. Sentences ranged from four life-terms to 10 years’ imprisonment. However, during the trial, two accused died, and three others — Jebina, Sathishkumar, and Tamizharasi alias Kavitha — absconded. Non-bailable warrants were issued against them, with Jebina apprehended in 2024.
After an eight-year evasion, the CB-CID’s special team, formed under Inspector General of Police TS Anbu and Superintendent of Police D Shanmugapriya, intensified efforts to trace the remaining fugitives. Led by Deputy Superintendent P Sukumar and Inspector J Balamurugan, the team arrested prime accused Sathishkumar on Tuesday from Coimbatore, where he had been employed at a private firm. Tamizharasi alias Kavitha, who worked as a housemaid in Thiruvannamalai, was captured on Wednesday.
CB-CID officers highlighted the operation’s complexity, citing the accused’s prolonged evasion and use of aliases. “These arrests underscore our resolve to ensure justice for victims of trafficking, no matter how long it takes,” stated a senior officer.
The arrested individuals will face trial in the Mahila Court, Cuddalore, with authorities vowing to expedite proceedings.
