Thimphu District Court, on last Thursday, sentenced two men to three years each in prison for helping two Indian labourers to enter the country without valid immigration documents and an Indian man to 18 months for solicitation.
However, they can appeal to the higher court within ten working days if not satisfied with the judgment.
28-year-old Tshering Penjor from Kabesa in Punakha and 27-year-old Tashi Dorji from Nanong in Pemagatshel, taxi drivers by profession, were convicted for intentionally and knowingly helping the labourers enter the country without valid immigration documents in June last year. They were found guilty for the offence of a fourth-degree felony, which has a minimum prison term of three years to the maximum of five years in prison as per the Immigration Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2007.
According to the investigation report, the convicts managed to hide the undocumented immigrants from the checkpoints and immigration inspections on the way.
Along with the two convicts, 24-year-old Maminur Raymaan, an Indian national from Cooch Bihar was also sentenced for solicitation. According to the judgment, he asked his father and one of the convicts over the phone to send the two Indian nationals from Phuentsholing to Thimphu without valid immigration documents. The judgment states, the convicts fixed the taxi fare at Nu 15,000 for transporting the non-nationals.
However, following the complaint made by the construction owner’s wife, all five men were arrested from Hongtsho in June last year. The two foreign workers were deported to their country.
The incident took place in June last year. All the convicts have been sentenced as per the Immigration Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2007.
Changa Dorji
