Sources said that evidence gathered during searches conducted in February and July led to the identification of “second and third layer” operatives involved in the human trafficking network. “The name of several travel firms surfaced in the investigation following which raids were conducted on Thursday at its offices in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi,” an ED official said.The agency had earlier recorded statements of the deportees, which helped identify suspects now under scrutiny. According to investigators, each deportee paid between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 55 lakh to travel agents, most of whom they had never met directly and were connected to through local intermediaries. The deportees provided documents, including bank account details of the agents who received the payments.Recently, the ED provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 5.41 crore, allegedly representing proceeds of crime generated by agents Shubham Sharma, Jagjit Singh and Surmukh Singh, who are accused of being part of the trafficking racket. The attached properties include agricultural land, residential and business premises, and bank accounts held in the names of the accused and their family members.In July, the agency conducted searches at offices and residences of suspects in 11 cities, including Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala and Moga in Punjab, and Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal in Haryana. During those raids, officials seized fake immigration and visa stamps.
Source link
Jharkhand’s first medical university to come up in Ranchi: Health Minister Irfan Ansari
The minister added that he recently met Union Minister of State for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav and requested him…
