The Bharatiya Janata Party’s women’s wing leader in West Bengal, Juhi Chowdhury, was arrested late on Tuesday in connection with a child trafficking racket. She was arrested in Darjeeling district, The Indian Express reported. A key accused in the case in Jalpaiguri, Chandana Chakraborty, had been arrested earlier. Chakraborty had named Chowdhury and two other BJP leaders in the case, Roopa Ganguly and Kailash Vijayvargiya. Chowdhury was sent to Crime Investigation Department remand for 12 days by Jalpaiguri District Court.
The case pertains to an NGO called Bimala Shishu Griha that allegedly sold at least two dozen children on the pretext of adoption. Four people have been arrested in the case so far. Chakraborty, the NGO’s chief adoption officer Sonali Mondal, its chairperson, and Chakraborty’s brother Manas Bhowmik. The Crime Investigation Department said Rs three lakh to five lakh was charged for each child sold abroad, and between Rs one lakh to three lakh trafficked within India.
West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh has said all allegations made against party leaders will be looked into. However, Vijayvargiya has denied the allegations and any involvement in the case. Vijayvargiya has claimed that the Kolkata Police are being “controlled by Trinamool Congress” and that they are “conspiring against us”, The Hindu reported.
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