Police claimed that Muni and her husband Rohit Kumar have been active for over a decade. (Representational Image)
Delhi Police have arrested a 37-year-old woman for allegedly trafficking minor girls to the capital from Jharkhand, and placing them as domestic helps at various households.
According to the Jharkhand police, the accused, Prabha Muni, is alleged to be high up in the human trafficking ring operating in eastern India’s Chota Nagpur belt and had recently extended operations to Santal Pargana — the tribal belt region.
Police claimed that Muni and her husband Rohit Kumar have been active for over a decade. “They set up their own placement agency and lured girls from the tribal belt with the promise of jobs, only to set them up in several households with below minimum wages and not transferring the money to their parents,” said a police officer, adding that she has trafficked girls between the ages of 13-14 years.
The Jharkhand police had also announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for her capture.
Two months ago, a team from the Jharkhand police had raided locations in Punjabi Bagh but left empty-handed. Later, a Delhi Police team from the west district got a tip-off about the woman and arrested her from the same area. “Her husband is absconding, but Muni has been sent to judicial custody and will be handed over to the Jharkhand police,” said a Delhi Police officer.
SP Sanjeev Kumar (Simdega) said he has dispatched a team to Delhi to get the woman’s custody. “So far, there is one case registered against her. She has to be questioned to identify the other traffickers and victims.”
Police said Muni has been named as the main accused in a case, wherein three minor girls were rescued from domestic work and reunited with their parents. The girls had levelled allegations of sexual assault and claimed that Muni trafficked them to Delhi.
“Muni, who also runs a charitable organisation, organised a trade fair in west Delhi under the garb of tribal emancipation… but used it as a recruiting ground,” said a police officer.
Rishi Kant, who heads NGO Shakti Vahini, said, “I have spoken to countless girls we rescued from Delhi and they have all given statements before police and CWC that Muni trafficked them.”
Superintendent of Police (Godda) Rajeev Ranjan, who was the first to get a case and an arrest warrant against Muni, said, “During my tenure, over 100 girls were rescued. A majority of them went willingly, but issues arose when they were not paid. Muni trafficked girls from bordering areas in Rourkela, Odisha and got them to Delhi via train.”