Human trafficking: Focus on Hyd MLA

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA, Kasipeta Lingaiah, is under the scanner of the Hyderabad Police, after anonymous letters and documents sent to media offices on Tuesday suggested the possibility of human trafficking during his travel to the US last month.

A special police team, which visited his Karimnagar residence on Wednesday, found the house locked. The authorities say that a case could be registered against Lingaiah - MLA from Nerella constituency of Karimnagar district - in a day or two.

Says Hyderabad Regional Passport Officer, K Bala Bhaskar, "We are in touch with the police authorities. They'll establish the facts. Once the facts are established, then we will take appropriate action based on the circumstances of this kind of incident. We have to conduct an inquiry into all aspects."

Interestingly, the entire issue came to light after an anonymous person dropped a set of documents in media offices that contained copies of passports procured by Lingaiah and four other MLAs.

There were recommendation letters by the Chief Minister to the US consulate for issuing visas and even the photocopies of their ID cards. It also had a separate note alleging that three TRS MPs and five MLAs trafficked women.

The documents suggested that the person who gave this information was an insider. Hyderabad Police began their probe after media tried to verify the authenticity of these documents.

Says Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, Balwinder Singh, "Initially we were not in the picture, because Delhi police was investigating. We were giving them the necessary assistance. But now that media has given some documents in which certain allegations have been made against some important persons of Andhra Pradesh, we're verifying that."

The Andhra Pradesh government too has asked the State Police Department to dig out more details of this case.

Says Finance Minister, K Rosaiah, "Intelligence of the State Department is very much on the task. They'll have to come out with the prima facie findings, then government has to take a serious view of all these things."

The issue is likely to generate political heat in Hyderabad as the TRS had suspended its MP and former union minister A Narendra from the party for his alleged involvement in the racket.

According to sources, police is now gathering information about the foreign visits, especially to the US, by the politicians and their relatives.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The Delhi Police has sent notices to the British, American and Canadian Missions seeking their help in the investigations. They have also approached the British Airways, the Austrian Airways, the North West Airlines and Air india.
A police official posted at the airport has been sent back to the police lines because he was negligent.
The police remand of accused Kiran Dhar, Rajinder Kumar and Sunderlal Yadav ends on Thursday.
According to the police, Kiran Dhar was using the email ID of Mitrasen Yadav for communicating with embassies.
A team of Delhi Police crime branch is in Gujarat in connection with the probe.