Key Accused in Cyber Slavery Trafficking Case Arrested at Bengaluru Airport

The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of Tamil Nadu has arrested a key accused in a major 'cyber slavery' and overseas employment fraud case. The arrest took place last week at Bengaluru International Airport.

The accused has been identified as Jai alias Babu, a native of Theni district who was residing in Malaysia. The case involves the trafficking of several young individuals to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos under the false promise of lucrative jobs. Once there, they were forced to work in cyber scam centres.

According to the police, the victims were rescued and repatriated to India through the coordinated efforts of the Government of India and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Based on statements from those rescued, 26 cases were registered across Tamil Nadu, with the CB-CID taking up the investigation.

One such case was registered by the Thanjavur CB-CID on August 10, 2024, following a complaint from Vettrivel, 48, of Thanjavur, who had been rescued from Cambodia. During the investigation, the first accused, Sundar alias Sundararajulu, was arrested on October 3, 2024. Investigators found that he had lured six persons from Thanjavur with promises of call centre jobs offering attractive salaries. He allegedly collected several lakhs of rupees from five of them and, with the assistance of Jai, arranged their travel to Cambodia via Thailand.

The investigation identified Jai as a key recruitment agent. The police allege that he coordinated with agents in Cambodia and trafficked the six victims to compounds in exchange for money. The victims were allegedly forced to carry out investment scams, persuading people to invest through fake Bitcoin investment applications. Their passports were confiscated, preventing them from leaving the compounds, and they were subjected to physical and mental abuse if they refused to participate in the fraudulent activities.

After the investigation, a charge sheet was filed declaring Jai as an 'absconding accused', and a lookout circular was issued against him. He was arrested shortly after his arrival at Bengaluru International Airport. Further legal action is underway, the police said.

This case highlights the growing problem of cyber slavery, where individuals are deceived with false job offers and then forced into illegal activities. Authorities continue to work towards dismantling such trafficking networks and rescuing victims.