Flight from France: Punjab Police form SIT to probe human trafficking charges

Of 303 passengers aboard chartered plane from Dubai to Nicaragua, 70% are from Punjab, most of them in their mid-20s and early 30s

Punjab Police on Friday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe charges of human trafficking in the case of Punjabi passengers, who were sent back to India by France from a Nicaragua-bound flight.

Passengers of a chartered plane, which was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking, arrived in Mumbai on December 26. (PTI Photo)

Of the 303 passengers who were on a plane operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines in Dubai last week, 70% are from Punjab, most of them in their mid-20s and early 30s. They were bound for Nicaragua but a refuelling stopover at Vatry airport in northeastern France on December 21 resulted in the plane being grounded for four days after an anonymous tipoff.

The SIT headed by superintendent of police, investigation, Randhir Kumar will comprise Jasroop Kaur Baath, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Civil Lines, Ludhiana; Balkar Singh Sandhu, deputy superintendent of police, investigation, Ferozepur; and Dalbir Singh Sidhu, DSP, Patiala headquarters.

On the mandate given by Punjab Police headquarters, the SIT has appealed to the victims to come forward with their complaints.

“First information reports (FIRs) will be registered promptly to set the law in motion. Victims can lodge their complaints at the anti-human trafficking unit in their districts or can contact the special investigation team,” the SIT said.

Punjab Police is also in touch with central agencies, and agencies of other states on the issue, said a senior official, who is part of the SIT.

The list of passengers sent back by France shows that nearly 70% of them are from Punjab, 25% from Gujarat and the rest from other parts of the country.