Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, November 18: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet in a Bhubaneswar court against 10 individuals involved in the trafficking of a Bangladeshi minor to Odisha, an official said.
The charges, presented by the NIA before a Special Court, accuse the accused of luring the young girl with promises of employment, only to exploit her in a trafficking ring for financial gain. The traffickers reportedly targeted the girl's family, exploiting their impoverished situation to facilitate the illegal operation, leading to the exposure of a widespread human trafficking network.
Initially, the Odisha Police had filed two charge sheets in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court, naming six individuals. Following the NIA’s takeover of the investigation, raids were conducted at several locations in West Bengal, resulting in the arrest of two more suspects. A deeper probe into their social media activities and financial transactions led to the identification and arrest of two additional associates.
As a result, the NIA has filed a comprehensive charge sheet against all 10 individuals under various provisions of the BNS 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
