A special court in Mumbai on Friday rejected the discharge plea of Sudarshan Darade, the alleged CEO of a company involved in an international human trafficking and cyber-fraud syndicate. The court ruled that there is "more than sufficient and prima facie material" to show Darade's involvement in a sophisticated modus operandi that lured educated Indian youths to Southeast Asia, only to coerce them into conducting online scams under grueling conditions.
Court's Observations
Special Judge Chakor S Baviskar noted that Darade's role revealed itself prominently through voluminous evidence. "If at all, he is not at all concerned with the alleged offences, he should not have received any of such mails from the company on his own gmail account," the judge said. The court emphasized that the evidence presented was enough to proceed with the trial against Darade.
Prosecution's Case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed the plea, detailing how the syndicate recruited victims for the LongSheng Company in Lao PDR. According to the prosecution, job seekers were promised employment in Thailand, but were instead transported illegally to Laos on tourist visas. There, the victims were allegedly forced to use fake social media profiles and hacked accounts to dupe people globally via fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
The NIA argued that Darade was a key figure in the syndicate, overseeing operations and communication. The agency presented evidence including emails and financial transactions linking Darade to the illegal activities. The court found this evidence sufficient to deny the discharge plea.
Modus Operandi
The syndicate targeted educated Indian youths with promises of high-paying jobs in Thailand. Once the victims arrived, they were taken to Laos under the guise of tourist travel. Their passports were confiscated, and they were forced to work in call centers and online fraud operations. The victims were subjected to long hours, threats, and physical abuse if they refused to comply.
The fraud involved creating fake social media profiles and using hacked accounts to approach potential victims. The scammers would then convince these individuals to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, resulting in significant financial losses.
Legal Proceedings
Darade had filed a discharge plea arguing that he was falsely implicated and had no direct involvement in the alleged crimes. However, the court found that the evidence on record, including emails from the company to Darade's personal account, indicated his active participation. The judge noted that the material was "more than sufficient" to establish a prima facie case against him.
The NIA continues to investigate the syndicate, which is believed to have trafficked hundreds of individuals to Laos. The case highlights the growing menace of cyber-fraud networks operating from Southeast Asia, targeting job seekers from India.
