Punjab has maximum cases of human trafficking: Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, December 4, 2025, that Punjab has the highest number of human trafficking cases in the country.

“From the perspective of states, the maximum number of human trafficking cases is in Punjab State,” the Minister said while answering additional questions during the question hour.

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Mr. Jaishankar said that the Punjab Government has constituted an SIT and an inquiry committee to look into human trafficking cases.

“According to the information given to us by them, 25 FIRs have been registered against 58 illegal travel agencies and 16 accused have been arrested,” he said in Punjab.

“In the case of Haryana State, 2,325 cases were registered, 44 FIRs were registered and 27 people were arrested. A prominent trader was also arrested by the State of Gujarat,” he said.

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To a question about deportations by the US, the minister said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had established an anti-human trafficking division a few years ago and today it has the mandate to investigate human trafficking.

“State Governments have also initiated investigations into human trafficking cases,” he said.

“NIA registered and investigated 27 cases of human trafficking, resulting in the arrest of 169 persons and chargesheeting of 132 persons. NIA arrested two prominent human traffickers in Haryana and Punjab on August 7 and subsequently in Himachal Pradesh and two more persons on October 2,” the Minister said.