NIA nabs key accused in human-trafficking case involving Sri Lankan nationals
Bengaluru (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a 39-year-old man, wanted in a human-trafficking case involving Sri Lankan nationals, from Tamil Nadu after a hunt of more than two years, an official said.
Mohamed Imran Khan alias "Haja Najerbheeden", allegedly a key figure in the case, was on the run since June 2021, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
The official said the Absconder Tracking Team (ATT) from the NIA's Bengaluru office monitored Khan's movements for the last several months, leading to his arrest from Theni district in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
The NIA spokesperson said a preliminary investigation has revealed that Khan, a resident of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, is a notorious 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 official said.
The spokesperson said the instant case originated when the Mangalore South Police acted on credible intelligence that a group of Sri Lankan nationals had arrived and taken residence in Mangalore in Karnataka without possessing valid documents. An operation led to the arrest of 38 Sri Lankan nationals from Mangalore on June 6, 2021.
"Investigations revealed that Sri Lankan nationals were brought to Mangalore from Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru. Recognising the international dimensions of the case, the NIA intervened and re-registered the case," the spokesperson said.
The official said the investigation revealed that Khan, in collaboration with a Sri Lankan national, Eesan, formerly associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), devised a plan to illegally transport 38 Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to various locations in Tamil Nadu.
"They lured these individuals with false promises, including the prospect of obtaining legitimate documentation for emigration to Canada and securing employment opportunities. Khan, along with the other co-accused, trafficked Sri Lankan nationals to various locations in Bengaluru and Mangaluru," the spokesperson said.
The investigation also revealed that Khan is a pivotal figure in a broader conspiracy involving international human trafficking.
"He acted as the main conduit responsible for transporting Sri Lankan nationals from their home country to India and subsequently, to other nations," the NIA spokesperson said.
The federal agency filed a preliminary chargesheet against five individuals -- Dhinakaran alias "Ayya", Kasi Viswanathan, Rasool, Satham Ushen and Abdul Muheetu -- on October 5, 2021, while a total of 13 suspects have so far been arraigned by it in the case.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
