A Nicaragua-bound charter plane,
carrying mostly Indian passengers out of 303 people and which was detained near
Paris due to speculated human trafficking, is now free to leave, a French court
ruled on Sunday. However, it is obscure if the plane will return to Bharat.
A tip-off from incognito source that the
passengers, including at least 11 unaccompanied minors, were probable victims
of human trafficking led to its grounding at the Vatry airport, in eastern France (about 150 km from Paris), after it arrived
from Dubai for refuelling.
The Airbus A340, belonging to a Romanian
charter company named Legend Airlines, will leave France after prosecutors quizzed
the passengers for two days and granted permission, as per the local prefecture.
A complete approval for their departure is expected today but their destination
was not mentioned.
Local Bar Association Head Francois
Procureur stated the passengers would be taken to Bharat but the Indian
authorities haven’t issued any statement confirming the same.
Courts in France have the authority to expand
detention of foreign nationals held in the nation on arrival. A judge can do
the same for eight days at once and up to 26 days in total in exceptional case.
The Indian passengers are speculated to
be workers in UAE who were flying to Nicaragua on their way to US or Canada, an
insider from the French court was quoted by AFP.
In France, the Indian embassy has secured
consular access and is reviewing the situation as well as jointly with the
French Government for the safety of the Indian passengers. Even, 10 Indian travellers
had applied for asylum, reported news agency AFP.
A legal representative, who claimed to
be representing the Legend Airlines, stated they believed it had committed no
offence “and is at the disposal of the French authorities”. She informed the
airline will take legal action if charges are filed.
NE Watch Desk
