Britain to help in checking human trafficking

Britain promises to help India on human trafficking and protect Indian girls who marry NRI's in Britain.

With concerns rising in New Delhi over human trafficking and cheating of Indian girls by NRIs through marriage, Britain has promised to take steps to address these.

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"We welcome people in the UK coming through proper process. But those coming illegally are not entitled to be there," visiting British Minister of State for Legal Affairs Baronness Ashton told media.

Ashton, who met Law Minister H R Bhardwaj and a top official of the Ministry for Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), said Britain was ready to work with India in prevention of illegal movement of people from India to Britain.

Human trafficking has been a concern in India and it got serious after recent detection of alleged involvement of MPs in the illegal activity.

BJP MP Babubhai Katara was arrested at the Delhi airport last month when he was allegedly trying to smuggle out a woman and a boy on the passports of his wife and son. Investigations that followed have indicated involvement of some other Parliamentarians in such illegal activity.

Ashton, who is here to work out a mechanism for cooperation between legal services of the two countries, also promised steps in the cases where Britain-based NRIs cheat Indian girls through marriage.