Bengaluru: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bengaluru on Wednesday sentenced four Bangladesh nationals to three years of rigorous imprisonment in an international human trafficking case. The convicted are Zakir Khan, Badal Howlader, Kabir Talukdar, and Mohammad Bachchu Gharami. In addition, each has been fined ₹20,000, with a one-month additional jail term if the fine is not paid.

According to the NIA, the accused entered India from Benapole, Jashore, and Akhaura in Bangladesh, obtained fake Indian identity documents, and engaged in garbage collection businesses in certain areas of Bengaluru. They also brought in Bangladeshi nationals for employment through illegal trafficking.

The case was registered by the NIA in 2023 following intelligence inputs. During the investigation, 12 people were arrested, and digital devices, Bangladeshi identity documents, fake Indian identity cards, and Indian currency were seized. Charges were formally filed against the accused in February 2024.

The NIA said the accused had illegally set up sheds in vacant Bengaluru properties to accommodate the trafficked Bangladeshi nationals. Continuous operations are ongoing to identify and take action against other illegally residing Bangladeshi citizens in the state.