Karnataka cops being partial in rescue case of trafficked Manipuri girls
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Bangalore, August 22 2013: The Banashankari police have arrested Sanaulla alias Sam Edwin on Tuesday in connection with the trafficking of two Manipuri girls in July which came to light after Praja Rajakiya Vedike (PRV), an NGO, rescued the girls last month.

However, the Police let go Rishav Gupta, the owner of a commercial shop in a City Mall, in whose house one of the girls was detained illegally for about 40 days.

The other girl was detained in Rishav's father-in-law MK Girdhar's house.

After a lot of pressure from PRV and other human rights and dalit organisations, police have booked them under anti-trafficking sections of IPC, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, SC and ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act.

Earlier they were booked only under IPC sections 34, 420 and 342 .

Rishav Gupta, MK Girdhar and Mala, the agent who kept the girls for two days before placing them in the two houses, were allowed to go scot free.

While Sanaulla was arrested, Rishav Gupta and his family members, who were questioned by police inside the police station were not arrested.

Sanaulla was accused in crime number: 0312/2013 in the 3rd Addl CMM Court, Nrupatunga Road, Bangalore, (Banashankari PS).

Rishav Gupta is the owner of a commercial shop in the Gopalan Innovation Mall, Bannerghatta road.

The trafficked girls were illegally detained in his house and the house of his father-in-law MK Girdhar.

Originally only 4 people Nengkhochin (the agent who approached the girls' parents in Manipur), Sanaulla, Mala, Sarath (Mala's brother) were added as accused.

Later, police added the families of Rishav Gupta and MK Girdhar to the list of accused but Police have not arrested them, in spite of them being in police station yesterday.

Rishav Gupta was connected to commercial establishments called the Kiara Bags and Renaissance International (which deals with antique clocks).

The shops are located in Gopalan Innovation Mall, JP Nagar, Opposite Shoppers Stop, Bannerghatta Road and in The Total Mall, Old Airport Road, Bangalore.

``The Manipuri Girls were made to sleep on the floor, verbally abused, made to work for 16-18 hours a day, were not allowed to go out and their mobile phones were taken away for sometime.

The mobile phones were returned only after deleting Mala's and other phone numbers.

Many a times the girls have to make phone calls secretly from the bathroom as they were prevented from making phone calls," said Manohar Elavarthi of PRV.

PRV has also questioned why the Manipur police did not arrest Nengkhochin, though a complaint was filed against her in Moirang police station more than a month ago.

She is the one who approached the girls' families in Manipur and trafficked them to Bangalore.

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