Human trafficking: Kingpin Rashid surrenders

Hyderabad, May 3 (UNI) Rashid, the prime suspect in the human trafficking case involving Gujarat BJP MP Babubhai Katara, today surrendered before the Hyderabad city police today, but maintained that he was ''innocent''.

Before surrendering to the Central Crime Station (CCS) police wing here, Rashid, the alleged link in the fake passport racket, said he was 'fixed' and had only carried out the task given to him.

He claimed that he had gone into hiding in the wake of persistent threats to him and his family members and would make a statement in the court, where he was expected to be produced tomorrow.

The name of Rashid, an alleged passport agent, had cropped up during interrogation of TRS MLA K Lingaiah, now in police custody for securing a passport for a woman from Gujarat in his wife Tara's name.

Rashid, who runs a travel agency in the city, had been arrested in a fake passport case in 2003 and released on bail the same year.

The Delhi Crime branch police, who were in the city for five days, tried in vain to nab the prime suspect.

After the arrested TRS Legislator said he had allegedly obtained fake passport through Rashid, the CCS had launched a manhunt for him, but Rashid surrendered before the CCS police along with his lawyers. Mediapersons were not allowed to speak to him.

CCS Deputy Commissioner of Police was personally interrogating the alleged mastermind in the passport scam.

Meanwhile, another suspect, reportedly connected with the travel agency involved in the passport racket, was arrested by the police during the day. The suspect, Sohail, was the brother of a former city corporator, police sources said.

UNI