CISF nabs four airlines staff, one passenger for suspected 'human trafficking' at Delhi airport
Dec 28, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 28 : The Central Industrial Security Force deployed at Indira Gandhi International Airport nabbed four airline staff and one passenger suspected of being involved in "human trafficking," the Public Relations Officer, CISF, said in an official statement on Thursday.
As per the PRO, the airline staff and the passenger were handed over to Delhi Police for further legal action in the matter.
"Vigilant CISF personnel nabbed 4 AISATS staff suspected to be involved in human trafficking along with a passenger @ IGI Airport Delhi. The 4 AISATS staff & the passenger were handed over to Delhi Police," the CISF posted on X.
On December 27, at about 1: 15 pm, CISF surveillance and intelligence staff at IGI Airport noticed suspicious activities of a passenger who was sitting in the check-in area near departure gate No. 5.
The passenger was later identified as Diljot Singh (Indian), who was supposed to travel from Delhi to Birmingham by Air India Airlines flight, the PRO stated.
"Despite a thorough examination of his baggage yielding no suspicious items, Singh's failure to board the flight raised concerns. On the query as to why he did not board the flight, he did not reply satisfactorily," the PRO said.
"On the basis of strong suspicion, his earlier movements were tracked through CCTV footage. On the basis of electronic surveillance and a query from the passenger, it came to light that he approached the F-11 check-in counter for his checking formalities and after check-in, he proceeded towards immigration, where he was stopped by immigration officials for possessing doubtful travel documents and instructed to bring the concerned airline staff along with him to clear the doubts," the PRO said.
As per the PRO, on further reviewing the CCTV footage, it came to light that the passenger neither went to the check-in counter nor came back to the immigration counter.
"Later, on inquiry, it was learned that his check-in formalities were done at the crew counter F-11 by Air India staff, Rohan Verma, CSA, on the basis of wrong documents. It was learned that the said passenger was travelling on a Seamen letter (authorised to work on the ship only), but Air India staff completed his check-in formalities manually as BRP (Biometric Residence Permits, UK)."
"On questioning, Verma admitted that, as directed by his colleague, Mohammed Jahangir-CSA, AISATS, he checked in the said passenger along with two more passengers on the basis of forged documents, for which he took Rs 80,000. On questioning, Jahangir admitted that he asked his colleague to complete the check-in forms of the passengers on forged documents as he was offered Rs 40,000 per passenger by one Rakesh, a resident of Mahipalpur."
The matter was informed to the officers of CISF and AISATS by the Senior Manager of Vigilance. Later, two other AISATS staff, Yash and Akshay Narang, also admitted their involvement in the case.
"Later, all the involved staff, along with said passenger, were handed over to Delhi Police for further legal action on the matter," the PRO added.
Following their arrests, a FIR was registered against all of them, the PRO added.
