Four of the accused, including the kingpin Lalya, were arrested today after the Crime Branch was prodded into action by a Bhiwandi court where Naseer has filed a case. However, he continues to live in fear. In fact, she spent his Idd hiding in the court premises.

He broke down when this reporter tried to speak to him today in Bhiwandi, where he shifted from a small village in Madhubani district, Bihar in February 1996 looking for an "agent" who could send him to the Middle-East. He said ever since he filed a case, he has been approached by several strangers who first sympathise him and then suggest that he should drop the case. He has also been offered money."Yesterday," alleges Naseer, "Lalya (the main accused) offered me Rs 2 lakh for dropping the charges. He accosted me at the Crime Branch office where he was brought after his arrest and he made the offer in public." When he refused, Lalya threatened him and said he could "harm" his family.

The shadows on his face deepen as he mentions his family, making him look much older than his 27. He's the only earning member of his family. Whatever little he used to earn in Bihar tilling a small patch of land was not even enough to feed his children. There was no money for his father's medicines, his son's education and daughters' marriage. The only option available to him, he said, was a job in the Middle East and Mumbai seemed to be the right link.

In May 1997 when he was discussing his unemployment with neighbours at the Hindustani Masjid in Bhiwandi he was approached by Lalya alias Shyam Kumar Baldevhari Sharma (39). "He told me that he knew of a vacancy in Saudi Arabia. There was only one slot open, 20 peoplehad already been selected I was told," recounts Naseer. He was asked to arrange for Rs 40,000 for his travel documents and the air ticket. He borrowed from friends and neighbours and handed over the amount to Lalya.

They then travelled to Mumbai where he was told that they were late and that the agent had sent someone else. "I was very disappointed...there was no way I could have gone back with the bad news. So, when they offered to arrange for my journey to Saudi Arabia from Delhi I agreed," he said.

At the Santacruz airport he was introduced to one Dr Tarbez and a nurse Mary (police are yet to ascertain their full names). Together they all travelled to Delhi and stayed there for two days. The third day Tarbez told Naseer that things were not working out as they had expected and that would have to go to Patna where he (Tarbez) had a contact. Two days in Patna and he was told the same story and they moved on to Ranchi, this time in a car.

There was finally some activity in Ranchi and Naseer was veryhappy. He underwent a blood test at the Prasad Nursing Home there and Tarbez explained him that it was necessary for "his papers."

But Naseer's joy was shortlived. "The next day I was told that I was suffering from a serious ailment and would have to be treated at a special hospital in Mumbai," Naseer recalls. "I was crestfallen...I thought it was the end of my dream to go abroad. But I was still hopeful...may be these people would help me after I recover. I decided not to call my wife," said Naseer. He was then admitted to Harkisondas Hospital in Mumbai and made to sign a blank stamp paper which, he was told, was part of the "procedure."

After that all he remembers is that he was taken to "a room full of machines" where he was given an injection and he passed out. When he regained his consciousness, ten days had lapsed. "What kind of treatment was this I thought...I was asleep ten days! I could feel an acute pain on the left side of his abdomen which I found was plastered. I called out to a nurse andasked her what was wrong," Naseer said. The nurse looked surprised. She asked him doesn't he remember having donated his kidney to a Syrian. "I asked her what's a kidney. When she told me it meant my gurda I could not believe my ears. I went mad with rage and started crying loudly."

He alleges that he was kept confined the hospital for nine months. "They kept me under heavy sedation...I could barely walk." The day he could gather enough strength he fled. "I went straight to the Lamington Road police station. But the officer refused to register my complaint." He returned to Bhiwandi and on his friends' advice he contacted Nandkumar M Koparde, a lawyer, on March 31. Koparde then filed a complaint with the local Bhoiwada police station. But when no action was initiated, he filed a case on his client's behalf before the Bhiwandi court. The court ordered the police to lodge an FIR and investigate the matter. Lalya was soon arrested and led the police to other accused - Qamar Alam Ashraf Ali Sheikh (42),Deepak Kumar Jaiswal (24) and Shakeel Bashir Ansari (33).