Indian trio jailed for human trafficking

TDT | Manama

The Fourth High Criminal Court recently sentenced three Indian nationals to three years of imprisonment for their involvement in human trafficking. The three defendants, two females and a male, were also fined BD2,000 each, blacklisted from re-entering the Kingdom in the future and ordered to bear the expenses of the victim’s repatriation. According to court files, the defendants contacted the victim, who was residing in India, last October.

They promised her a job in Bahrain with a monthly salary of INR50,000 (around BD246). The victim said in her testimony that she was informed by the defendants that she would work as a masseuse and a hair dresser at a health club here. After the male defendant processed her documents and residency permit, the victim reached the Kingdom on November 12. She was received by both female defendants, who later took her to an apartment where she was informed that she would be working in the flesh trade.

The victim told investigators that she initially rejected the offer but was threatened by the defendants. She also said that she was taken on the same day by the male defendant and one of the women to a customer, and then later taken to a ladies’ salon to be prepared to work as a prostitute. At the parlour, the victim managed to get in touch with the Indian Embassy, who notified the police about the matter. The woman was rescued by the police and agreed to cooperate with the police to ambush the male defendant, who came back to pick her up from the salon later.

The man was immediately arrested and he led the cops to the apartment where his two female accomplices were residing. The male defendant was charged by the Public Prosecution with partially depending on vice to make a living, while the female defendants were both charged with running a brothel and fully depending on vice for a living.