On February 3 NIA arrested Shiv Shankar Ghanju, a resident of Jharkhand’s Kunti district in connection with the Jharkhand human trafficking case. As per the NIA, Ghanju was running a human trafficking racket under the garb of placement agencies.

NIA also said that Ghanju owned two placement agencies that were operated by his brother and human trafficking kingpin Panna Lal Mahto who has already been taken into custody. Various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 16 and 18 of Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act have been applied in the case.

Furthermore, NIA investigations have revealed that poor minor boys and girls were targeted and brought to Delhi with the promise of jobs. However, the minors were not paid wages and were exploited.

The NIA press release says:

1. Today, (03.02.2021), NIA arrested accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu@ Shiv Shankar Mahto @ Shankar, aged about 41 years, son of Late Chyota Ganjhu, resident of village Ganaloya, PS Murhu of District Khunti, Jharkhand, in the case pertaining to a Human Trafficking racket being run in the guise of placement agencies. The accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu was the owner of two placement agencies, namely M/s Laxmi Placement Service & Birsa Security and Placement, which were being operated by his brother and notorious kingpin of human trafficking racket in Jharkhand and Delhi, Panna Lal Mahto who was earlier arrested in the case.
2. The case arose out of FIR No. 07/2019 dated 19.07.2019 registered at PS-AHTU, District Khunti, Jharkhand u/s 363, 370(3)(4)(5)(6), 370(A), 371, 374, 120B, 420, & 34 IPC and sections 16, 18 of Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act. NIA re-registered the case as RC-09/2020/NIA/DLI on 04.03.2020 and took up the investigation.
3. During the investigation, it was revealed that accused Panna Lal Mahto and his wife Sunita Devi were operating a big Human Trafficking racket in the guise of three placement agencies in Delhi. They used to bring poor and innocent minor boys and girls from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing them with jobs in Delhi and neighboring states, but they were exploited and were never paid the promised remunerations.
4. The accused Shiv Shankar Ganjhu@ Shiv Shankar Mahto @ Shankar was arrested from Khunti, Jharkhand. He had played a significant role in trafficking minors from Jharkhand. The accused was produced before the NIA Spl Court, Ranchi today and has been taken in police custody for four days.
5. Further investigation in the case is continued.

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