NEW DELHI, Aug 24: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today filed a chargesheet against two accused in an organised human-trafficking case involving Chinese companies based in the “Golden Triangle SEZ, Laos”.
The chargesheet filed before the Special NIA Court in Haryana’s Panchkula said accused Balwant alias Bobby Kataria, a social-media influencer, has been arrested and his associate Ankit Shokeen, currently based in Laos, is absconding, according to a release issued by the investigating agency.
NIA’s investigations have revealed that both the accused, along with others, were involved in recruiting and transporting innocent jobseekers using deception and false inducements, the release said.
The victims were handed over to Chinese companies in Laos, where they were forced to carry out cyber frauds and scams under harsh, strenuous and restrictive conditions, it added.
The Chinese companies allegedly used to confiscate the passports of the victims, who were also subjected to physical and mental torture in the event of non-performance or refusal to carry out cyber frauds, the investigations have revealed.
The conspiracy was allegedly hatched by Kataria, along with Shokeen and others.
Together, they had allegedly incorporated MBK Global Visa Private Limited, a visa consultancy, and by taking advantage of his popularity among youngsters, Kataria was “attracting job-seeking youth with lucrative job offers in countries like Singapore”, the release said.
After taking advance payments, “he would persuade the victims to go to Laos”.
Many of the victims were eventually rescued from the fraudsters’ clutches thanks to joint efforts of the Indian embassy at Laos and local law-enforcement agencies.
The investigations in the case are continuing to identify the other accused involved in the racket and demolish the entire syndicate, the release said. (PTI)
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