NIA to probe trafficking of Nepalese women

In 2019, the Manipur Police rescued the women, who were being allegedly trafficked via Manipur to Myanmar

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken up the probe into a 2019 case of alleged trafficking of Nepali women via Manipur to Myanmar for allegedly pushing them into the sex trade in south-east and west Asia countries on the pretext of employment, people familiar with the matter said.

(HT PHOTO)

The Manipur Police rescued 179 Nepali citizens, including 147 women, from hotels in Moreh and Imphal. They were later handed over to the Nepalese embassy.

NIA has been roped in to probe one of the cases filed against Nepalese citizen Rajiv Sharma for sending 40 women to Moreh to cross the border into Myanmar with the help of traffickers. It is also expected to take over other cases lodged in connection with the alleged trafficking, said an officer, requesting anonymity.

Another Nepalese citizen Asha Kaji Lama Tamang was arrested for allegedly hiding some women at a lodge in Moreh. NIA will now take his custody to ascertain the role of some people based in Manipur, Delhi, Nepal in the trafficking racket.

L Pishak Singh, who is the secretary of the NGO that was part of the rescue, said the women were being taken to Myanmar from where they were to be trafficked to and sold in south-east and west Asian countries for the sex trade. “It was one of the biggest trafficking rackets [in Manipur].”