The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against three Myanmar nationals in a major international human trafficking case involving the illegal infiltration and trafficking of foreign nationals, primarily of Rohingya origin, into India across the India-Bangladesh border.
The accused have been identified as Rabi Islam also known as Rabiul Islam, Shafi Alam also known as (Sofi Alom and Sayedul Islam), and Mohammad Usman.
According to NIA, all accused are permanent residents of Myanmar’s Maungdaw district.
As per NIA investigations, the three accused had entered India illegally, in collusion with traffickers and touts, without valid travel documents.
“They were also involved in facilitating the infiltration of numerous other foreign nationals through unauthorized and illegal border routes,” the NIA chargesheet read.
NIA said that as part of a well-organized 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.
“Such women were then sold for forced marriages across various Indian States, including UP, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana, Haryana etc,” NIA said.
The NIA investigations also uncovered instances and evidence of forgery of documents, and established that Rabi Islam and Mohammad Usman had obtained Aadhaar cards fraudulently.
According to NIA, the duo had also used these cards to procure multiple SIM cards and open bank accounts, further concealing their true identities.
With this chargesheet, the NIA, which had started probing the case on November 7, 2023, has taken a significant step towards uncovering and dismantling a major international human trafficking racket and network, central agency said.
On Thursday, the agency also busted a cross-border smuggling network of arms, ammunition and explosives and arrested a key accused in the case.
The accused apprehended during the bust has been identified as Lalngaihawma, a resident of Mizoram’s Mamit area. He was nabbed from Mizoram’s Aizwal following inputs regarding the operations of a well-organized, large-scale illegal arms and ammunition supply network operating in certain North Eastern States of India.
As per NIA investigations, the accused, along with others, was engaged in the trafficking of arms, ammunition and explosive materials not only in the North-eastern States but also across the border. He was working in collusion with various operatives, including insurgent groups situated across the international border.
As part of their conspiracy, they had already distributed such terror hardware to various individuals in India and abroad. These illicit weapons and explosives are suspected to have been used in violent terrorist acts and criminal activities across different regions.
The case (RC-31/2023/NIA/DLI) was registered by the NIA on December 26, 2023, under sections 120B of the IPC, sections 18 of the UA (P) Act 1967, Section 6 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908 and sections 25 (1) (a) and 25 (1AA) of the Arms Act.