NIA files chargesheet against three Myanmar nationals in Rohingya human trafficking case

NEW DELHI: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against three Myanmar nationals in an international human trafficking case involving illegal infiltration and trafficking of foreign nationals, primarily Rohingyas, into India via the Indi-Bangladesh border.

The charge sheet accused — Rabi Islam @Rabiul Islam, Shafi Alam @Sofi Alom @Sayedul Islam, and Mohammad Usman — are permanent residents of Myanmar's Maungdaw district. As per NIA investigations, they 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 unauthorised & illegal border routes, said an NIA spokesperson.

The accused were engaged in various other illegal activities like luring vulnerable Rohingya women who had taken refuge in Bangladesh, to India with false promises of marriage to Rohingya men. Such women were then sold for forced marriages across states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, Haryana etc.

NIA investigations also uncovered instances and evidence of forgery of documents, and established that Rabi Islam and Mohammad Usman had obtained Aadhaar cards fraudulently. The duo had also used these cards to procure multiple SIM cards and open bank accounts, further concealing their true identities.
NIA had begun its probe into the case on November 7, 2023. The chargesheet filed on Saturday, the agency said, marks a significant step forward in uncovering and dismantling a major international human trafficking racket involving Rohingyas.
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