Hyderabad: Ex-MLA arrested for human trafficking

The Hyderabad Police on Tuesday confirmed the charges against former member of the legislative assembly (MLA) Turupu Jayaprakash Reddy of obtaining passports and the United States visa in 2004 by allegedly submitting fabricated documents and trafficking three people. Reddy was arrested on September 10.

Speaking to the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad (North zone), B. Sumathi said, "We received information that one ex-MLA had purportedly obtained passports and the US visa in 2004 on his and his family members' names as an acting MLA. The people with whom Reddy was travelling were not his family members. They were people whom he trafficked for monetary benefits."

A case has been registered under Sections 409 (Criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 370 (Buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (Using as genuine a forged 1[document or electronic record]), of the Indian Penal Code, Section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967, and Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1983.