Dubai racket: Fake names were used to traffic women

The Crime Branch Organised Crime Wing (OCW) has got further details on the people involved in the sex racket operation in Dubai, wherein women are being transported from India and Sri Lanka. The Crime Branch has learnt that the racketeers and the women were given fake names so that security agencies do not arrest them.

According to Crime Branch officials, suspects Leena, the racket kingpin hailing from Wadakkancherry, and Basheer, of Kodungallur, may not be their real names as the other victims had submitted different names.

Biju Kumar, the investigating officer in the case, has said that they used various names to introduce themselves to the women. “They keep changing their location in Dubai so that the police cannot identify them. About 50 people approach them every day, including residents of Dubai, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. We spoke to some of the women who became victims of the racket, but most of them refused to register a complaint. Four women have filed a complaint against the racketeers,” he said.

The racketeers seize the passports of women who come from other countries, forcing them to approach the Indian Embassy and get them transported back to the country without their passports.

The seized passports are then used for transporting other girls. Three persons have been transported using one passport. They influence airport officials who help them transport women without getting caught.

The officials have found that Leena, alias Aswathy, is an accused in another passport-related case in Thrissur, and efforts are being taken to get the original identities of the women. The Crime Branch had first registered a passport forgery case. Now they have charged additional cases on immoral trafficking as well as cheating.

The Crime Branch had arrested an agent named Santha, a native of Punalur. She had submitted that about 120 women were transported from India and Sri Lanka in the last five years. The Crime Branch officials indicate that the number would be much more as there are many more racket agents operating in every part of the country.

Biju Kumar conducted the arrest under the directive of Alex K Joseph, SP of the Crime Branch OCW. The case is being supervised by P M Varghese, Crime Branch OCW.