NEW DELHI: Exposing a cross-border ‘taskaree’ network that blended human trafficking with digital crime, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (Feb 18) filed charges against three accused persons, in a human trafficking and cyber fraud racket operated by Indian and foreign agents from Myanmar.
The agency, during its investigation, uncovered a well-organised human trafficking network engaged in illegal activities, ranging from unlicensed recruitment of Indian citizens abroad to the illicit transfer of victims for criminal operations in Southeast Asia.
Who are the accused?
The accused have been identified as Ankit Kumar, Ishtikhar Ali, and Lisa (a suspected Chinese national based in Myanmar).
- Ankit Kumar (arrested)
- Ishtikhar Ali (arrested)
- Lisa (absconding)
What charges have been filed?
The accused have been booked under Sections 61(2), 127(4), 143(3), 308(2), 318(4) and 62 r/w 143(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 24 of the Emigration Act, as per the chargesheet filed before the NIA special court in Panchkula, Haryana.
The investigation remains ongoing, and more arrests or revelations may follow.
What was the modus operandi?
NIA investigations reveal that the three, along with known and unknown associates, were involved in trafficking vulnerable Indian youth to the Myawaddy region of Myanmar.
The two arrested, Ankit and Ishtikhar Ali, were allegedly involved in luring youngsters from India on the pretext of providing jobs in Thailand.
The duo targeted unemployed youth and asked them to attend online interviews with Lisa, who posed as a genuine foreign recruiter.
Instead of placing them in Thailand, the accused transported the victims from India to Myanmar via an illegal transit route.
According to NIA, the trafficked victims on reaching Myanmar were forced to work in cyber scam companies, made to create fake social media profiles, and directed to engage with people in the USA, UK, and Canada to convince them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency apps. If the victims resisted, they were confined and coerced against their will.
The accused also forced the victims to pay hefty amounts for their release. - The Statesman/ANN
