HC asks Maharashtra CID to probe allegations of human trafficking against Pune police

The Bombay high court directed the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe allegations about officers of the state police were involved in a human trafficking nexus.

A division bench led by Justice Ranjit More was hearing a plea filed by a New Delhi-based lawyer, who alleged that Pune police officers were involved in a human trafficking racket and two of the victims rescued from Nepal last year had named these officers in their complaint.

The plea also claimed these officers were asked to investigate the case and that the victims, who were taken to a state-run home, had gone missing.

The state, however, informed the HC on Wednesday that one of the victims was traced and efforts were on to locate the other one.

During the last hearing, the court had appointed senior counsel Mihir Desai as the amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter. On Wednesday, Desai told the court that he had interviewed one of the victims that “prima facie the allegations made in the petition appeared to be true.”

He suggested it would be proper if an independent agency like the state CID or the CBI probes the case.