FLESH TRADE: BANGLA WOMAN DENIED BAIL

Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court declined to grant bail to a Bangladeshi citizen, Shiuli Khatun alias Sheela Justin, who has been in jail for one year after she was arrested on allegations of trafficking women from Bangladesh to Hyderabad and forcing them into the flesh trade.

The FIR was registered by the Hyderabad police and later the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The judge agreed to have the final hearing of the bail petition and adjourned the case to June 1. Shuili Khatun she was only a cook in the house, her counsel stated, and was not concerned with human trafficking or running a brothel in Hyderabad.

Counsel said Shuili Khatun was made an accused only based on the statements of some persons.

Suryakaran Reddy, senior counsel appearing for National Investigation Agency, submitted that the probe revealed that the accused was involved in women trafficking from Bangladesh to Hyderabad and other parts of the city.

A chargesheet and supplementary chargesheets had been filed before the special court designated to deal with the cases registered by the premier investigating agency and she may move to Bangladesh or any other place, if the bail was granted to her, the counsel submitted.