A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Bengaluru on Sunday arrested an absconding accused from Tamil Nadu in a Sri Lankan human trafficking case.

“The accused identified as 39-year-old Mohamed Imran Khan alias Haja Najerbheeden was on the run since June 2021”, the agency said. An Absconder Tracking Team (ATT) of the NIA in Bengaluru monitored his movement over the past several months, leading to his capture from an undisclosed location in Theni district of Tamil Nadu.

“Investigations revealed that Imran Khan is a pivotal figure in a broader conspiracy involving international human trafficking,” the NIA said. “He acted as the main conduit responsible for transporting Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to India and subsequently to other nations.”

During preliminary investigations, the accused who hails from Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram was found to be a smuggler with a long-standing history of illegal activities in the region.

“He was a fugitive wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies for his involvement in various illicit operations,” the NIA said.

The case came to light when the police found out that a group of Sri Lankan nationals had arrived in India and were living in Mangalore without proper documentations. The police then arrested at least 38 Sri Lankan nationals from Mangalore in June 2021.

“Investigations revealed that Sri Lankan nationals were brought to Mangalore from Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru,” the NIA said.

The agency found that the accused had collaborated with a Sri Lankan national named Eesan who was formerly associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a banned terror outfit in the island nation. They had devised a plan to illegally transport 38 Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to various locations within Tamil Nadu.

“They lured these individuals with false promises, including the prospect of obtaining legitimate documentation for emigration to Canada and securing employment opportunities,” the NIA said. “The accused Imran Khan, along with other co-accused, trafficked Sri Lankan nationals to various locations in Bengaluru and Mangaluru.”

The federal agency had taken over the case from local police given its international dimensions. NIA had filed a preliminary charge sheet against five Indian accused in this case– Dhinakaran alias Ayya, Kasi Viswanathan, Rasool, Satham Ushen, and Abdul Muheetu, in October 2021. “To date, a total of 13 suspects have been arraigned in the case by the NIA,” the agency said, adding that investigations in this case remain open.