"Key conspirator" in Rohingya, Bangladeshi trafficking case arrested in Tripura: NIA

Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested a person in Tripura in connection with a case related to trafficking of Rohingyas and Bangaldesh nationals via porous stretches of Indo-Bangladesh borders in the Northeast.

The accused, identified as Jalil Miah, according to NIA, is one of the key conspirators of the trafficking network.

The NIA had in February announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone providing information leading to Miah's arrest.

The agency had earlier arrested 33 accused during searches conducted at several places across different states. But Miah, along with nine others wanted in connection with the case, remained absconding, NIA said.

"Investigations have revealed that Jalil was one of the main conspirators in the human trafficking racket and a close associate of chargesheeted accused Jiban Rudra Pal alias Jibon alias Suman. He was also closely associated with two other absconders, Juj Miah and Shanto, all hailing from Tripura. Though Jalil had managed to escape during the initial operation on November 8, 2023, in which 29 accused were arrested, electronic devices and other incriminating documents seized from his residence had pointed to his complicity," said a statement issued by the NIA on Tuesday night.

As per NIA investigations, a large number of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas are being trafficked to India every month through the porous stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border. They are further transported to different parts of the country, and provided fake documents and forced into labour.

Pan India searches conducted by NIA in November 2023 had led to the seizure of a whole lot of incriminating data, including digital devices, along with foreign currency (Bangladeshi Taka and US Dollar), Aadhar Cards, PAN Cards etc. A subsequent crackdown on December 29 last year had led to the arrest of another four accused in the case, exposing a massive network of human traffickers, NIA said.

The manhunt for tracking the other absconders is continuing and investigations are in progress to connect the missing links in the elaborate racket, it further said.