Verdict in Nedumbassery trafficking case on February 24

Kochi: The CBI court in Kochi will pronounce the  verdict in the Nedumbassery human trafficking case on February 24. The trial proceedings in the case, in which women were illegally sent to Gulf countries with the help of certain immigration officials and then handed over to sex rackets there, were completed  on Friday. The accused  who were tried  in-camera  are K.V. Suresh, Lissy Sojan, Sethu Lal, Anil Kumar, Bindhu, Santha, A.P. Maneesh, Sudharman, Varghese Raphael,  P.K. Kabeer, Siraj, P.A. Rafeeq, S. Mustafa and Thahir.

The court examined a total of 73 witnesses and over 50 material objects and documents during the trial. The incident came to light in 2013 when a woman, a native of Kazhakootam, arrived in Mumbai after escaping from the clutches of a sex racket in Sharjah.  The authorities in Mumbai handed over the victim to the police at Nedumbassery who initiated the probe. The woman was taken abroad using a fake passport and promising a housemaid’s  job.

Later it was found that several women from Kerala and other states were taken abroad and admitted to  brothels where they were forced into flesh trade. The case, initially probed by the Crime Branch, was later handed over to the CBI. Five cases have been registered in the human trafficking incident in which some police officers are also involved.