Notorious smuggler and key person arrested in SL human trafficking case
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said it has arrested Mohammad Imran Khan, also known as Haja Nazarbiden, a notorious smuggler with a long history of illegal activities in the region and Is a key figure in the human trafficking case. People in Sri Lanka. ,
An NIA official here said the agency’s Absconder Trace Team (ATT) arrested 39-year-old Khan from an undisclosed location in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district.
The officer said Khan, a key figure in the case, was absconding since June 2021.
He was arrested after Bengaluru ATT regularly monitored his movements for the past few months.
The officer said that during preliminary investigation, Khan, a resident of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, emerged as a notorious smuggler with a long history of illegal activities in the area.
“He was a fugitive who was wanted by several police agencies for his involvement in various illegal operations,” the officer said.
The officer said that during investigation it was revealed that Khan, along with Isan, a Sri Lankan national who was previously associated with the LTTE, had planned to illegally transport 38 Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to various places in Tamil Nadu. .
“They lured these individuals with false promises, including the possibility of obtaining valid documentation for immigration to Canada and securing employment opportunities.
“Khan, along with other co-accused, smuggled the Sri Lankan nationals to various places in Bengaluru and Mangaluru,” the officer said.
“The investigation found that Khan is a key figure in a wider conspiracy involving international human trafficking. “They served as the primary medium responsible for transportation of Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to India and then to other countries,” the official said.
The matter came to light when the South Mangalore Police acted on credible intelligence which revealed that a group of Sri Lankan nationals had come to Mangalore without valid documents and were residing there.
The operation led to the arrest of 38 Sri Lankan nationals in Mangalore on June 6, 2021.
Investigation revealed that the Sri Lankan nationals were brought to Mangalore from Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru.
Recognizing the international dimensions of the case, the NIA intervened and re-registered the case.
The NIA had filed a preliminary charge sheet in the case on October 5, 2021, against five Indian accused Dhinakaran alias Ayya, Kasi Vishwanathan, Rasool, Satham Ushen and Abdul Muhitu.
So far, NIA has prosecuted a total of 13 accused in this case.
