Katara's aide arrested

NEW DELHI: A key aide of BJP MP Babubhai Katara, nabbed while allegedly trying to smuggle people out of the country, has been arrested here in connection with the human trafficking case, police said today.

Rajendra Singh, who allegedly brokered deals on behalf of Katara, was arrested by a special team of the Crime Branch late last night.

Police have been on the look out for Singh after his role came to light during the interrogation of the BJP MP from Gujarat's Dahod, who was arrested at the international airport here on Wednesday while trying to take a woman and a teenaged boy to Canada on his wife's and son's passports.

Investigators said Singh used to strike deals with travel agents to facilitate travel of persons on his wife's and son's diplomatic passports.

A preliminary investigation into the case has revealed that Katara had taken persons to United Kingdom and United States after taking money in 2005 and 2006.

Police are also investigating whether Katara was in possession of more passports allegedly used for trafficking people out of the country and are in touch with FRRO in this regard.

The police have also sent teams to Gujarat and some other states to nab travel agents who had been allegedly hob-nobbing with Katara.

They are also investigating his Hyderabad connections as it has come to light that the air tickets of the woman Paramjeet and the teenaged boy were arranged by a travel agent from the southern metropolis.