CBI books three agents for trafficking 25 minors to Paris from Punjab

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CBI books three agents for trafficking 25 minors to Paris from Punjab
CBI books three agents for trafficking 25 minors to Paris from Punjab

New Delhi : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked three agents for allegedly trafficking 25 minors from Punjab to Paris using forged documents, on the pretext of participation in a rugby training camp.

The three men named in FIR are Lalit David Dean, Sanjeev Raj and Varun Choudhary. They have been booked for criminal conspiracy, human trafficking, cheating, forgery and using fake documents.

In the initial investigations, it has been learned that the trio had taken about ₹30 lakh per child from their parents to facilitate their travel to Paris, said a CBI official.

The case came to light after French authorities spotted an Indian boy who was not carrying any valid travel papers. On asking about his condition he claimed that he was a part of a group of children who were trafficking to Paris. The French authorities subsequently alerted the CBI through Interpol.

“The accused had earlier given some rugby training to the children before they left for Paris,” said the CBI official.

While applying for visas at the French Embassy in Delhi, the accused also produced an invitation purportedly issued by the French Federation. All of them visited Paris and attended a rugby camp for about a week.

“It is alleged that the children were left at a gurdwara in Paris and their return tickets were cancelled by the accused persons.Suspecting that something was amiss, two of the children escaped and managed to return to Delhi. Efforts are under way to track down their parents. We are yet to ascertain the fate of the other children,” said the CBI official.