Kathmandu, August 23

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has nabbed two suspects, who allegedly worked in cahoots with their India-based agents in trafficking 27 women to Dubai through New Delhi.

The arrestees are Sujil Rai aka Sushil, 38, of Temma-2, Khotang and Raju Babu Shrestha, 43, of Ramnagar-1 of Mahottari, presently staying in Madhyapur Thimi.

A special team of CIB had apprehended Rai from Gundu in Bhaktapur and Shrestha from Sarlahi last week.

DIG Hemant Malla Thakuri, CIB director, said the duo used to search for women and lure them into going to New Delhi for visa and documentation process for foreign employment in Dubai, Kuwait and Kurdistan (Iraq) with the promise of lucrative job. “Rai and Shrestha would find women aspiring to go for foreign employment and hand them over to New Delhi-based agents before trafficking them abroad,” he informed.

They would charge Rs 40,000 to Rs 100,000 per person ‘as commission for finding them jobs abroad’. CIB had launched an all-out investigation after Indian police rescued the 27 Nepali women from various hotels and Indira Gandhi International Airport on July 21 and 25 while arresting two agents Ishwar Neupane, 32, and Bishnu Tamang, 27, of Sindhupalchowk. Neupane and Tamang are still in the custody of Indian police.

DIG Thakuri said CIB is coordinating with Indian police to bring them home for further investigation and legal proceedings. The 27 women, who were rescued and prevented from being trafficked abroad, were brought to Nepal on August 4 after Indian authorities handed them over to the Government of Nepal.