Punjab Police forms SIT to probe suspected human trafficking after France sends back flight

Chandigarh: Director of Punjab Bureau of Investigation L K Yadav Saturday constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the case of suspected human trafficking after a Nicaragua-bound flight, carrying mostly Indians, was grounded in France and then sent to India.

The plane, an Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, mostly Indians, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours of December 26. Man passengers hail from Punjab.

According to an official statement, the four member-SIT is headed by Ferozepur Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Randhir Kumar.

The other three members are ACP, Civil Lines Ludhiana, Jasroop Kaur Baath, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Investigation) of Ferozepur Balkar Singh Sandhu and DSP (Headquarters) Patiala Dalbir Singh Sidhu, it said.

'The SIT has been asked to submit the final report to the competent court at the earliest. The SIT can also co-opt any other officer/official for assistance in the investigation of the case,' the statement said.

The flight, which was operated by a Romanian charter company and bound for Nicaragua, landed at Vatry near Paris on December 21 for a technical stopover when the French police intervened.

French authorities launched a judicial investigation into the conditions and purpose of the trip, with a unit specialising in organised crime investigating suspected human trafficking.

In Mumbai, immigration authorities enquired from some of the 276 passengers, an official said, adding no passenger was detained and they were allowed to leave the airport.