A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Bengaluru has convicted and sentenced four Bangladeshi nationals in a transnational human trafficking case. Zakir Khan, Badal Houladar, Kabir Talukdar, and Mohammed Bachchu Gharami have been given three years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000 each. In case of default, they face an additional one month of imprisonment under the Foreigners Act and the Passports (Entry into India) Act.
The convicted individuals illegally entered India from Bangladesh through border points like Benapole, Jashore, and Akhaura. They fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents and operated a waste-segregation business on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The investigation also found that they employed other trafficked Bangladeshi nationals and built sheds to house victims on leased land in Bengaluru.
The NIA initiated the case in November 2023 after uncovering a cross-border human trafficking network. Following intelligence inputs, the agency conducted searches nationwide, leading to the arrest of 12 individuals. Seized items included Bangladeshi identity documents, digital devices, forged Indian papers, and Indian currency. A chargesheet was filed in February 2024, with two more arrests made in May 2024.
Ongoing investigations aim to dismantle the larger trafficking network and ensure justice for all involved in the crime.
