Human trafficking: Police gets clues about Shakeel, Raju Pitti

Hyderabad, May 12 (UNI) A CB-CID probe was today ordered into the involvement of TRS MLA S Bapu Rao even as the Central Crime Station (CCS) police got vital clues about Shakeel, a former member of the BJP and TDP, and cricket bookie Raju Pitti following interrrogation of the alleged kingpin in the scam Rasheed, now in police custody.

City Police Commissioner Balwinder Singh told UNI that CID sleuths would visit the US consulate in Chennai as also Gujarat to gather more information and documentary evidences about the involvement of the accused in the scam.

Grilling Rasheed, the CCS police got 'vital' information about his associate Shakeel, hailing from Bodhan town in Nizamabad district, police sources said.

Shakeel had joined the BJP in 1999 and become the State minorities wing leader. Later, he quit the party and joined the TDP in 2001. However, Shakeel left the TDP in 2004.

Pitti, one of the main suspects in the racket and a cricket bookie hailing from Gujarat, had fled to the US soon after his name figured in the scam.

The CCS police rushed teams to Gujarat to unravel the mystery behind the activities of Pitti in the State and his links with several travel agencies in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

Police have alerted other States to nab Shakeel by sending his picture to all investigating agencies.

Police were in touch with the US investigation agencies and the US Consulate in Chennai to trace Pitti. CCS police were busy comparing the clues they got from Rasheed and the information got from the US embassy.

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