In the heart of New Delhi, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals residing in Karnataka, unraveling a case entwined with the web of human trafficking, as disclosed by an official source. Mohammed Sajjid Haldar and Idris, previously evading authorities, were successfully located and captured on the night of Thursday, aided by the Internal Security Division of Karnataka. This development elevates the total number of apprehensions in connection with this case to 14, as affirmed by an official spokesperson representing the federal agency.
Initiating its crackdown on the racket in November 2023 through extensive nationwide raids, the NIA delved into its investigations, unearthing the clandestine entry of Haldar and Idris into India through Benapole, situated at the Indo-Bangladesh border. Haldar, orchestrating a waste collection and segregation unit in K Chanasandra, Rama Murthi Nagar, Bengaluru, employed fellow Bangladeshi nationals in his operational endeavors, divulged the official.
Further revelations during the investigative process brought to light that Idris, in parallel fashion, established a waste collection and segregation unit in Anadapura, Bengaluru. Here, he leased land and erected tents, sheltering over 20 Bangladeshi families, raising suspicions of their potential trafficking. The spokesperson emphasized that ongoing efforts seek to validate and corroborate these intricate details.
The genesis of the NIA’s involvement in this case traces back to its registration on November 7 of the preceding year. Credible intelligence had surfaced, indicating the involvement of certain individuals based in Karnataka with facilitators and traffickers spanning Assam, Tripura, and neighboring countries. The NIA contends that these connections unveiled an extensive network of traffickers engaged in the illicit smuggling of individuals across the Indo-Bangladesh border into India.
Compounding the severity of their actions, the accused individuals were implicated in the provision of counterfeit Aadhaar cards to their victims. With 12 Bangladeshi nationals already in custody, having been arrested and charged in connection to the case, the NIA remains resolute in its mission to dismantle the operations of traffickers operating along the volatile Indo-Bangladesh border, affirmed the official spokesperson.