Indian origin couple charged with slavery offenses

LONDON: A 28 year old woman was found to be kept as a slave in a domestic environment by an Indian origin couple in the East Midlands region of the UK. The couple was accused of slavery offenses.

They are blamed of keeping a person in domination and knowingly possessing a person in slavery between 1 January 2011 and 31 July 2015.

Minu Chopra, 47 and Sanjay Chopra, also 47, were arrested by Greater Manchester police on February 11 charged under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 on suspicion of slavery and forced labor offences.

The apparent victim is supposed to be of Indian origin too.

"Minu Chopra has been charged with holding a person in slavery or servitude between 31/07/2015 and 11/02/2016, intentionally arranging/facilitating entry into the UK of a person with a view to their exploitation and knowingly holding another person in slavery/servitude between 01/01/2011 and 30/07/2015," a GMP statement said.

"Sanjeev Chopra has been charged with holding a person in slavery or servitude between 31/07/2015 and 11/02/2016, intentionally arranging/facilitating entry into the UK of a person with a view to their exploitation and knowingly holding another person in slavery/servitude between 01/01/2011 and 30/07/2015, following his arrest on Saturday 13 February 2016," the statement added. (pic courtesy: independent.co.uk)