New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested Shiv Shankar Ganjhu, owner of two placement agencies which were being run by his brother and kingpin of the notorious human trafficking gang, Pannal Lal Mahto.

An NIA spokesperson here said that the agency arrested Ganjhu, a resident of Khunti district in connection with its probe into the Jharkhand human trafficking case.

The official said that Ganjhu was the owner of two placement agencies -- Laxmi Placement Service and Birsa Security and Placement, which were being operated by his brother and kingpin of the human trafficking racket in Jharkhand and Delhi, Mahto.

Mahto was arrested earlier in the case and the NIA had registered a case in March last year.

The spokesperson said that during investigations, it was revealed that the accused Mahto and his wife Sunita Devi were operating a big human trafficking racket in the guise of three placement agencies in Delhi.

"They used to bring poor and innocent minor boys and girls from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing them jobs in Delhi and neighbouring states, but they were exploited and were never paid the promised remunerations," the official said.

The official said that Ganjhu had played a significant role in trafficking minors from Jharkhand.

The official said that Ganjhu was produced before the NIA Special Court in Ranchi and has been taken in police custody for four days.