In a major break through, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has tracked down a trafficking gang while investigating a missing case. CID team with the help of Delhi Police exposed a gang that used to traffic girls at brothels in Delhi from West Bengal.
A girl of Paschim Hogla village under Joynagar Police Station in South 24 Parganas, went to local market at around 11 AM on 21 June, 2015 but did not return home. After wait for hours, her anxious family members lodged a missing diary with Joynagar Police Station but efforts of the local police were in vain. The case was referred to CID and the control of investigation was assumed by CID on 18 August, 2015. One day a neighbour of the victim girl received a call from one unknown person that the girl had been sold at a brothel at GB Road in New Delhi.
CID officers contacted their sources in Delhi who were able to trace out the victim girl from G B Road. They sent a photograph of the girl through Whats App. The sources later informed CID officers that the girl was shifted to another unknown destination in and around Rohini. Meanwhile, officers of Anti Human Trafficking Unit of CID, rushed to Delhi and they raided several brothels at G.B. Road, Delhi with the help of officers and men of Kamala Market Police Station, on 4 October, 2015 and the sleuths rescued the trafficked victim girl from the said red light area.
It was a real astonishment for the CID officials when they could discover concealed tunnels in the wall at a brothel in Delhi. One Saira Begum,brothel owner of Kotha no. 70,G.B. Road, Delhi was arrested during the raid. Although four victim girls were rescued from the hidden tunnel at the said brothel, still the missing girl of Joynagar was not found there. In the face of interrogation, the brothel owner admitted that the victim girl was there but in apprehension of a raid she was forced to board in Howrah bound Kalka Mail. Immediately sleuths of Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of CID rushed to Ghaziabad, halted the train and traced her out.
The victim girl narrated how she was lured and gave descriptions of physical appearances of two persons involved in trafficking her to brothel. Their sketches were made by the portrait parle artists. CID officers engaged their sources to collect information about those two who were later identified as Munna and Kashem. Sources confirmed that those two touts were allegedly associated with trafficking.
Meanwhile A.H.T.U. team received information that one Khairul Sk had procured one girl from Gosaba Police Station area for the purpose of trafficking her to Delhi. Immediately the team rushed to Gosaba and detained Khairul Sk. During interrogation the sleuths came to know that Khairul Sk alias Munna had earlier lured the victim girl of Joynagar area with a promise of marriage but sold her to one Kashem. Khairul Sk alias Munna was arrested who was later identified in the T.I. Parade by the victim girl.
In the face of interrogation, Khairul Sk alias Munna confessed that Kashem, the kingpin of the sex trafficking racket was at Surat at that time. He also confirmed that Kashem used to move at different cities like Pune, Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad etc. It was learnt that he will be reaching West Bengal via Delhi.
CID team with local police of Joynagar Police Station raided at Kashem’s residence on 17 January 2016 and arrested Abu Kashem Mandal. H e w a s identified as Kashem by the victim girl during TI parade.
Charge-sheet has already been submitted against three persons within the stipulated time and the trial is going on.
Abhijit Chatterjee
