Karnataka: Cops nab human trafficking kingpin Santro Ravi from Gujarat

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Karnataka Police has arrested Santro Ravi, an accused in dozens of cases including human trafficking, after a hot chase of 11 days, an official said on Friday.

According to the police, Ravi was arrested from Gujarat today after he fled from Karnataka 11 days ago.

The cases registered against him pertaining to illegal money transfer, fraud, and money lending, police said.

Additional Director General of Police, Alok Kumar said that Ravi had escaped from the police and went into hiding in Gujarat, following which the police had ordered the formation of investigation teams under the leadership of senior police officers for his arrest.

Karnataka Police special investigation team has finally arrested the accused.

The ADGP had earlier informed that the authorities were conducting all kinds of searches to nab the accused.

"We are trying all kinds. We will find out where Ravi is as soon as possible. There is a connection with the police department. An intensive search is being conducted for the accused Ravi," he had said.

He said that he has been convicted in different cases.

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State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that appropriate legal action will be taken against him.

"With his arrest, all speculations have been put to rest. For the past 11 days, Santro Ravi has been evading police, we will investigate the allegations against him, if he is found guilty, appropriate legal action will be taken to provide justice to the victims," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stating that Santro Ravi, the alleged kingpin of human trafficking who has alleged proximities with BJP leaders, wrote a covering letter to police claiming himself as a BJP leader.

"Santro Ravi, who has been in the news for a few days, has written a cover letter in the police station as an active worker of BJP. Earlier, a person named Jagdish filed a complaint against Santro Ravi at the Rajarajeshwari Nagar police station in Bengaluru for transfer fraud. In return, Santro Ravi, wrote a cover letter to police, claiming himself as an active worker of the BJP in it," Kumaraswamy told reporters here, adding that Santro Ravi also bragged about a rejig of police officers and mentioned the names of police officers he had transferred in the cover letter.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on January 7 had dismissed the opposition's claim of a state minister's alleged proximity with Santro Ravi and said that a probe into the matter would unravel the links.

"A probe into the alleged proximities of Santro Ravi will reveal true colours and there is no question of shielding anyone," Bommai told reporters in Mysuru. (ANI)