Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a significant breakthrough, the Crime Branch of Goa Police has apprehended the second key accused in an international human trafficking racket involving foreign nationals.
Zohair Ahmed Khalidi, a resident of Gulbarga, Karnataka, was taken into custody on Tuesday in Bangalore following a sustained investigation into a case registered earlier this year.
The case began on March 3, 2025, when a Kenyan national approached the Crime Branch with a complaint against another Kenyan citizen, Nancy King’ori alias Alian.
The complainant alleged that King’ori had trafficked her from Kenya to India under the guise of offering a job in the hotel industry but instead forced her into prostitution after seizing her passport.
A case was registered under Crime No. 26/2025 under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 4, 5, and 8 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Ms. King’ori, described by police as the kingpin of the racket, was arrested in Bangalore on March 13 and is currently in judicial custody.
During the investigation, police uncovered evidence that King’ori had provided the victim with a UPI ID and scanner to accept payments from clients. The UPI account was found to be registered in the name of Zohair Ahmed Khalidi, prompting a search operation in Karnataka.
Khalidi was apprehended on May 7 and is being brought to Goa for further investigation. He is suspected to be part of a wider network involved in trafficking foreign nationals across India.
The investigation is being led by PI Prashal P. N. Dessai under the supervision of DySP Crime Rajesh Kumar and SP Crime Rahul Gupta, IPS
