Punjab SIT to probe trafficking angle in Nicaragua flight case

Tribune News Service

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, December 30

A week after the Nicaragua-France human trafficking case surfaced, the Punjab Police have finally formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.

Challenges abound

The police say in such cases, the ‘victims’ often struck a compromise with their agents and turned hostile in court

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Gujarat cops quiz 20

At least 20 passengers from Gujarat have been quizzed by state police to unearth illegal immigration network. PTI

On the directions of DGP Gaurav Yadav, Bureau of Investigation Director LK Yadav issued an order for the probe by the four-member SIT. “In view of the sensitivity and seriousness of the matter, the SIT will investigate forward and backward linkages associated with human trafficking,” said the order. The SIT will be headed by SP Randhir Kumar while Jasroop Kaur Baath, Balkar Singh Sandhu and Dalbir Singh Sidhu will be its members. The order came on a day The Tribune reported that the Punjab Police were awaiting a complaint by the “victims” or information by central security agencies or the Gujarat Police, which are already investigating the case. As many as 303 Indian passengers, mostly from Punjab and Gujarat, travelling in Romanian company Legend Airlines’ A340 Airbus flight were detained by French authorities on December 22. The chartered flight had taken off from Fujairah in the UAE and was headed to Nicaragua (Central America). A police official said that due to their destination in Nicaragua, it was suspected that the passengers may have been trying to follow the “Dunki/Donkey route” to illegally enter Mexico, the US or Canada.

The US government has designated Nicaragua as one of the several countries deemed as failing to meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking. Nicaragua has also been used as a migratory springboard because of relaxed or visa-free entry requirements. However, the lawyer for Legend Airlines refuted the claim, arguing that most of the passengers had valid visa to Nicaragua and return tickets.

The flight had a technical stopover at Vatry airport in France, but it was grounded there after the local authorities received an anonymous tip-off about probable “human trafficking”. After spending four days at the airport, the flight with 276 passengers was sent to Mumbai where it landed on December 26. Twenty-five passengers applied for asylum in France while two were made “assisted witnesses” in the investigation (in France).

By analysing the names, it is suspected that around half of the passengers might belong to the Punjab-Haryana region. A Punjab Police official said there were challenges in the investigation. “It has to be noted that no “victim” has come forward to register any case. People often willingly choose the “Donkey route” to emigrate illegally knowing the risk involved. Therefore, they don’t come out as complainant,” he said.

The official said in such cases, “victims” often struck a compromise with their agents and turned hostile in court. Moreover, the agents, if outside India, were difficult to trace, he said. The police are, meanwhile, looking to identify the victims and would ask them to lodge complaints with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in their respective districts or else contact the SIT.

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