The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and state cybercrime unit have taken decisive legal action, registering a case against two individuals from Delhi. The accused are alleged to have been involved in the recruitment and human trafficking of a young man from Uttarkashi, who was then forced into working at online scam operations in Myanmar.
The Deceptive Recruitment and Trafficking
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Navneet Bhullar, the victim, identified as 22-year-old Yashpal Bisht, was ensnared by the accused last year. The incident, which occurred in June 2023, came to light only recently when Bisht filed a formal complaint on Saturday. The accused, Keshav Bijalwan and Shivam, allegedly contacted Bisht with a fraudulent job offer for a position in Thailand.
Police details reveal that Bijalwan first made contact over the phone before introducing Bisht to Shivam. Shivam then reportedly asked the victim to pay approximately Rs 13,000 for airfare from Delhi to Bangkok. Trusting the offer, Bisht flew to Bangkok in June, where he was received at the airport by a local contact. He was then taken to a hotel located outside the city.
Captivity in Myanmar's Scam Centres
The situation took a sinister turn the very next day. Without Bisht's knowledge or consent, he was transported to Myanmar. There, he was handed over to foreigners, alleged to be Chinese gangsters, who operated a large-scale scam centre. Bisht was not alone; he found himself alongside other Indian youths in a similar predicament.
At this facility, the captives were forced to create fake social media profiles with the sole purpose of cheating people online in elaborate financial scams. SSP Bhullar stated that any resistance from the victims was met with threats and harassment, creating an atmosphere of fear and coercion.
Dramatic Escape and Legal Reckoning
The victims' opportunity for freedom arose unexpectedly. Amid the ongoing civil war in the Myanmar region, their handlers abruptly fled the scam centre. Seizing this chance, Bisht and others managed to escape. They sought and found refuge at a local non-governmental organization (NGO), where they stayed for about a month before finally securing their return to India nearly a month ago.
Following Bisht's complaint, the state cybercrime unit swiftly moved to book the accused. They have been charged under stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 111(4) for organised crime, Section 127(7) for wrongful confinement, and Section 143(3) for human trafficking. Relevant sections of the Information Technology Act have also been invoked in the case.
This case highlights a dangerous trend of international human trafficking networks luring Indian youth with fake job offers, only to trap them in illegal operations abroad. The Uttarakhand police's action underscores the serious legal consequences awaiting those who orchestrate such schemes.
