Woman allegedly trafficked from India: Six charged

Six people, including a butcher and an optician, have been charged in connection with trafficking an Indian woman.

The suspects, all from London, face a number of counts including rape, sexual assault and making threats to kill the victim, said the Metropolitan Police.

Scotland Yard said the 37-year-old woman was from the southern city of Hyderabad.

The suspects are due at Westminster Magistrates' Court on bail on 7 June.

Those charged are:

• Enkarta Balapovi, 53, a butcher of St John's Wood, north London, faces one charge of trafficking within the UK and five counts of rape.
• Shanaz Begum, 56, a shop worker, also of St John's Wood, is accused of two counts of trafficking - the first into the UK and the second within Britain.
• Shashi Kala Obhrai, 53, an optician, of Northwood, north west London, is charged with trafficking within the UK, actual bodily harm (ABH) and making threats to kill.
• Balram Kumar Obhrai, 58, a computer entrepreneur from the same area, is accused of trafficking into the UK and making threats to kill.
• Aleemuddin Mohammed, 34, a supermarket manager from Harrow, also in north west London, faces a similar count of trafficking into the UK and another of sexual assault on a female.
• Shamina Yousuf, 32, a secretary, of Edgware, is charged with trafficking into the country and ABH.