National Investigation Agency arrested key accused in Jharkhand Human Trafficking Racket on November 2, 2020. Accused Gopal Oraon, a 28-year-old resident of village Tungaon in Khunti district, Jharkhand.
In a press note, NIA said that Gopal Oraon was arrested in connection with the case pertaining to a Human Trafficking Racket running in the guise of placement agencies. Accused Gopal Oraon was a close associate of arrested accused Panna Lal Mahto and was actively involved in Human Trafficking racket.
A case in this regard was arrested under Section 363, 370 (3)(4)(5)(6), 371, 374, 120B, 420, and 34 of Indian Penal Code, Sections 16, 18 of Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act. NIA re-registered the case on March 4, 2020, and took up the investigation.
During the investigation, it was revealed that accused Panna Lal Mahto and his wife Sunita Devi were running this Human Trafficking racket in the guise of three Placement Agencies in Delhi. They used to bring poor and innocent minor boys and girls from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing them jobs in Delhi and neighbouring states but never paid them salaries. Arrested accused Gopal Oraon used to help them in this exploitative work.
Searches were also conducted at the residential premises of facilitators located in four different districts of Jharkhand i.e. Pakur, Sahibganj, Gumla & Khunti. Several incriminating documents, railway tickets and mobile handsets have been seized. Further investigation in the case is continued.
