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The CBI has arrested five accused in the case and suspects that the alleged kidnapping was part of a larger human trafficking network, they added.
The girl, who was kidnapped on August 9, 2023, after leaving home for a tuition class, was found to be living at the residence of one of the accused in Pali.
The central probe agency was roped in by the Calcutta High Court through an order on February 16, 2024, following a plea from the victim’s mother. The case was initially investigated by the West Bengal CID and was handed over to the CBI due to concerns over the girl’s safety and the suspicious nature of her disappearance.
The CBI developed intelligence through its sources and call data record (CDR) analysis, which pointed investigators toward Rajasthan. A CBI team raided the premises in Pali on August 7, where the girl was residing, officials said.
“The investigation has revealed that the missing girl was a minor when she went missing and was shown as a major in the affidavits created for her marriage. She was sold twice for marriage. It is suspected that this incident could be part of a bigger human trafficking network,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
The CBI arrested five accused, who were produced before a special court in Pali on Friday. The court sent them on transit remand for three days to be produced before the district and sessions judge at Purba Bardhaman (West Bengal), the statement said.
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