In a shocking revelation, the Mumbai Crime Branch has uncovered a human trafficking racket that facilitated illegal immigration to the U.S. via fraudulent visas and passports. The investigation has revealed the alleged involvement of officials from the Sahar Police Station in aiding and protecting the traffickers.
According to sources, if any individual was caught at immigration during departure from Mumbai Airport, certain Sahar Police officials allegedly ensured that the case was weakened or dismissed in favor of the trafficking syndicate. In return, the accused officers reportedly received hefty bribes from the traffickers.
During the probe, the Crime Branch retrieved WhatsApp chats from the mobile phones of arrested suspects, allegedly implicating Senior Police Inspector Dhananjay Sonawane of Sahar Police Station. Following the emergence of these incriminating messages, senior officials swiftly transferred Sonawane to the Local Arms (LA) unit and initiated a departmental inquiry against him.
Police sources indicate that Sonawane was allegedly shielding Ajit Puri and Roshan Dudhwadkar, the masterminds of the trafficking network, by preventing their names from appearing in police records. Even when immigration complaints led to cases at Sahar Police Station, Sonawane reportedly used his position to manipulate investigations in favor of the accused, in exchange for bribes.
This police complicity allowed the traffickers to operate freely, using forged passports and visas to smuggle individuals abroad without facing legal consequences. The recovered WhatsApp chats have provided crucial evidence of police involvement, prompting Sonawane’s immediate transfer.
Ajit Puri, identified as the kingpin of the trafficking syndicate, has allegedly been running this operation for the past 25 years. Despite his long involvement in illegal immigration, he had only been booked once in 2006, a case from which he was acquitted—likely due to police collusion.
The Mumbai Crime Branch’s meticulous investigation has not only exposed the extent of this human trafficking operation but has also brought police corruption to light. The probe into this racket is ongoing, and further arrests and actions against complicit officials are expected.
