From rxpgnews.com
MPs fail to turn up for human trafficking probe
By IANS,
Apr 24, 2007 - 7:51:16 PM
New Delhi, April 24 - Four MPs who were served notices for their alleged involvement in international human trafficking failed to appear before an investigation team Tuesday.
The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had Monday served notices to three Bahujan Samaj Party - MPs from Uttar Pradesh - Mohammed Tahir Khan -, Mitrasen Yadav - and Ashok Rawat - - and Ramswaroop Koli of the Bharatiya Janata Party -, who represents Bayana in Rajasthan.
The MPs, who were asked to help the investigations, did not turn up for questioning as the police team waited. Three of them, however, sent written communications seeking more time.
'We have received written replies from three MPs - Khan, Rawat and Koli - seeking more time to appear before the investigating team. There was no reply from Yadav,' Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
'We are waiting for Yadav's reply and further action would only be decided depending on the requirements. Most likely a fresh notice will be sent to him,' Bhagat added.
In their reply to the notice, Khan and Rawat mentioned that they were currently occupied in the electoral campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and would be able to help investigations only after May 8.
Koli stated that he was currently in his hometown Bayana and would soon join the investigation process.
The notices came in the wake of allegations made by Sunder Lal Yadav, a travel agent, who was arrested Saturday with Rajendra Kumar Gampa and their female accomplice Kiran Dhar.
He revealed in a city court that Khan and Koli were the central figures in the racket of smuggling people abroad on diplomatic passports of MPs' family members or forged documents.
During police interrogation, Sunder also named Yadav and Rawat as being involved in the racket.
The trio's arrest came after Bharatiya Janata Party - MP Babubhai Katara was arrested from the international airport here Wednesday trying to smuggle a woman and a teenage boy to Toronto on the diplomatic passports of his wife and son.
All rights reserved by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited ( www.rxpgnews.com )