The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) cracked a human trafficking racket by arresting four men for allegedly detaining people from Bangladesh in a house in Chikkajala. The gang would extort money from their families back home, said the police.
Eight Bangladeshi nationals, who claimed that they had been tortured over the last 20 days, were rescued on Friday. The police acted on a credible tip.
The special enquiries division of the CID arrested four men — Rahul Mehar and Sunil Kejriwal from New Delhi along with their associates Ashwaq Khan and Jaffar from Bengaluru — at a hotel on Bagalur main road.
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After questioning them, they got the location of the house at Zeenath Layout in Kolipura, Chikkajala where the Bangladeshi nationals were detained. The victims told the police that the accused had convinced them to come to India by promising them well-paying jobs. They crossed the border illegally, and from Delhi they were escorted to Bengaluru. But instead of being given jobs, they were held captive and tortured.
“They alleged that the men would demand that they call up their families back home and ask them to transfer money for their safe release. A few transactions were made,” said the police who are still investigating the nature of the transactions.
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The Bangladeshi nationals have also been arrested as they entered the country illegally and have been remanded in judicial custody.
“We suspect Mehar and the other three accused of being part of an inter-State gang. Efforts are on to trace other members of the human trafficking gang,” said a police officer.