- May 27, 2024
NIA busts international job scam, arrests 5 for luring Indians into cyber fraud centers | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: NIA, as part of a multi-state crackdown on organised trafficking syndicates engaged in luring Indian youths with false promise of jobs in Cambodia, Laos, Golden Triangle SEZ and forcing them to work in cyber fraud centres there, arrested five persons on Monday after raiding 15 locations across 7 states and Union territories (UTs).
Among the states/UTs where NIA carried out the searches in coordination with the local police and intelligence agencies, were Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab & Chandigarh.Eight fresh FIRs were registered and five accused — Manish Hingu of Vadodara, Pahlad singh of Gopalganj, Nabialam Ray of south west Delhi, Balwant Kataria of Gurugram and Sartaj Singh of Chandigarh — arrested.
NIA investigations have revealed the accused to be involved in an organised trafficking syndicate engaged in luring and trafficking Indian youth to foreign countries on the false promises of legal employment.
The youths were being forced to work in fake call centers at Laos, Golden Triangle SEZ, and Cambodia, among other places, as part of the racket, controlled and operated mainly by foreign nationals. They were coerced into undertaking illegal activities online, such as credit card fraud, investments in cryptocurrency using fake applications, honey trapping etc.
Investigations have further revealed that the arrested accused were coordinating with traffickers operating from across the international border to facilitate illegal border-crossing of Indian youth from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to Laos SEZ. They were working at the behest of foreign-based agents belonging to well organised syndicates that were active in several districts of Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujrat, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana etc . These syndicates were further connected to operatives based in other parts of India, as well as foreign countries like UAE, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos SEZ etc.
NIA had taken over the relevant case from Mumbai police on May 13, 2024. It found that the human trafficking syndicate was not operating merely in Mumbai but had linkages with other facilitators and traffickers in various parts of the country and across the border.
The searches on Saturday led to the seizure of several incriminating materials including documents, digital devices, handwritten registers, multiple passports, bogus overseas employment letters etc, said NIA.
Among the states/UTs where NIA carried out the searches in coordination with the local police and intelligence agencies, were Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab & Chandigarh.Eight fresh FIRs were registered and five accused — Manish Hingu of Vadodara, Pahlad singh of Gopalganj, Nabialam Ray of south west Delhi, Balwant Kataria of Gurugram and Sartaj Singh of Chandigarh — arrested.
NIA investigations have revealed the accused to be involved in an organised trafficking syndicate engaged in luring and trafficking Indian youth to foreign countries on the false promises of legal employment.
The youths were being forced to work in fake call centers at Laos, Golden Triangle SEZ, and Cambodia, among other places, as part of the racket, controlled and operated mainly by foreign nationals. They were coerced into undertaking illegal activities online, such as credit card fraud, investments in cryptocurrency using fake applications, honey trapping etc.
Investigations have further revealed that the arrested accused were coordinating with traffickers operating from across the international border to facilitate illegal border-crossing of Indian youth from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to Laos SEZ. They were working at the behest of foreign-based agents belonging to well organised syndicates that were active in several districts of Maharashtra, UP, Bihar, Gujrat, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana etc . These syndicates were further connected to operatives based in other parts of India, as well as foreign countries like UAE, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos SEZ etc.
NIA had taken over the relevant case from Mumbai police on May 13, 2024. It found that the human trafficking syndicate was not operating merely in Mumbai but had linkages with other facilitators and traffickers in various parts of the country and across the border.
The searches on Saturday led to the seizure of several incriminating materials including documents, digital devices, handwritten registers, multiple passports, bogus overseas employment letters etc, said NIA.
