Robbinsville Temple Faces Allegations of Human Trafficking, Forced Labor & Abuse in Workers’ Class Action Lawsuit

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ – Federal law enforcement officers came to the BAPS temple in Robbinsville Tuesday to carry out court orders on the property where workers say they are victims of human trafficking and abuse of labor. Six plaintiffs have filed the lawsuit on behalf of approximately 200 other Indian nationals who allege they have performed forced labor and are subject to abuse.

Doreen Holder of the FBI’s Newark office confirmed to TAPinto Hamilton / Robbinsville that the agency was there on Tuesday morning “for judicial activity”. She would not comment on the possible involvement of local or regional law enforcement agencies.

A person guarding the closed gates of the BAPS temple on Tuesday afternoon said no one was allowed in. He confirmed that the FBI was there during the day.

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Plaintiffs allege that trafficked workers were forced to work 12 to 13 hours a day with few days off and laborious and sometimes dangerous jobs for about Rs 31,000 to 35,000 (about $ 425 to $ 450) per month or less $ 1.20 per hour.

They claim to have been abducted to the United States on false pretenses. Upon arrival, the workers claim their passports were confiscated. The workers say they were forced to live and work in the fenced, guarded area; could not leave the area unaccompanied; and were under constant surveillance, threatened with a fine for violations and arrest.

Attorneys for the six plaintiffs – Mukesh Kumar, Keshav Kumar, Devi Laal, Niranjan, Pappu, Brajendra – in the case Kumar v. Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Inc. – said the workers were essentially treated as servants.

“This is a terrible case of worker exploitation, and it is even more worrying that it has been going on behind the temple walls in New Jersey for years,” said Dan Werner, attorney at Radford & Keebaugh, LLC. “These workers were forced by lies to come to the United States to work and then suffered tremendously – they were essentially forced into bondage.”

Plaintiffs allege that they were brought to the United States on an R-1 or religious visa available to those who serve or work in a religious calling or occupation, but the workers are strictly manual labor performed.

“These workers came to New Jersey to earn wages and help their families,” says Patricia Kakalec of Kakalec Law PLLC. “They have been exploited and cheated out of millions of dollars in wages. You deserve justice. “

Swati Sawant, another attorney for those who worked in the temple, said, “These people have suffered greatly – financially as a result of wage theft, physically as a result of the strenuous work they were forced to do, and spiritually as a result, for months and years as a result to be, to stay in the temple grounds. You are brave to stand up for your rights. “

Local response to the lawsuit and FBI activity came swiftly on Thursday.

Robbinsville Township released the following statement this afternoon:

“Based on media reports this morning, the community was made aware of federal law enforcement activities on the BAPS property in Robbinsville. The municipality’s jurisdiction over the property is limited to land use and Uniform Construction Code (UCC) approval BAPS land use applications or UCC inspections have been carried out on the property by Robbinsville Township officials or have become aware of any work problems that may exist. “

The community added that “temporary accommodation was known on the premises and inspections of these apartments were being carried out in April and June 2020 pending in-person inspections due to COVID-19”.

Rep. Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer / Middlesex), who also serves as President of the Building and Construction Industry of Mercer-Burlington, said individuals must be held accountable.

“It is important to me that all workers are protected. I fight every day to make sure that all rights are legally protected and insured. As this investigation continues, everyone must be held accountable for their actions,” DeAngelo said.

The community said they will have no further comment in order not to disrupt the ongoing investigation.

TAPinto’s efforts to reach out to a BAPS representative were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

However, Kanu Patel, the executive director of BAPS, told the New York Times, “I disagree with the wage demand.” Lenin Joshi, a spokesman for BAPS, also denied the allegations, saying the men did an intricate job joining hand-carved stones in India that qualified them for visas.

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