KOLLAM: The Kollam First Class Magistrate on Wednesday remanded 11 Sri Lankan nationals who were arrested on Monday in connection with an illegal migration case, in nine-day police custody. Though the Pallithottam police demanded 12-day custody, the magistrate refused it. “I am happy that the judiciary has considered the case on a humanitarian basis’’, said Rahul V I, the lawyer appearing for the Sri Lankans.
Moreover, the court has also directed the police to arrange medical check-ups of the accused every two days until the custody is over. ‘’We demanded regular medical check-up for all. They are poor people,” said Rahul.The accused were charged under the IPC sections 370 (trafficking of persons), 341 (wrongful restraint), 511 and sections under 14 (A) and 14 (B) of the Indian Foreign Act, 1946.
Based on a tipoff from the Q Branch of Tamil Nadu police, a joint operation was carried out by the Kollam East police and the Q Branch. The team raided Ambadi Hotel on the Beach Road in Kollam and arrested them. During the interrogation, they told the police that they paid `3-10 lakh to an agent named Lakshmana in Colombo for their trip to Canada and Australia in a boat from Kollam.