Tejas Patel arrested as police probe alleged human trafficking network tied to Sanjiv Patel

What the report says

Police in Kampala are holding Tejas Patel after his arrest on October 4, 2026, as investigators examine an alleged human trafficking network said to be linked to his cousin, Sanjiv “Sanju” Patel. Watchdog Uganda reported that the allegations have not been proven in court and that both men are entitled to the presumption of innocence.

According to the article, detectives suspect Sanjiv Patel of directing a trafficking operation that may have run for nearly two decades, using relatives and associates to handle logistics and business dealings. Tejas Patel is alleged to have been part of that wider circle. The report also says a Ministry of Internal Affairs Police Form 53 seen by Watchdog Uganda was dated September 22, 2026, with a handwritten CID reference and a signature dated September 28, 2026, though police had not confirmed whether it belongs to this case.

By the time of publication, the Criminal Investigations Directorate had not publicly identified the specific charges against Tejas Patel, the station where he is being held, or Sanjiv Patel’s current status. The report places the case in a broader context of complaints in Kampala, Wakiso and other districts about people being lured abroad with false job or visa promises and then having travel documents seized. Uganda’s anti-trafficking law can carry severe penalties, including life imprisonment for aggravated trafficking, underscoring why the investigation is drawing attention.