The Kochi city police are expected to submit a detailed probe report on the Cambodia human trafficking case to the state Director General of Police (DGP) shortly. A seven-member investigation team has so far recorded the statements of around 12 victims through in-person meetings and is expected to conclude the process soon.
Over 100 Keralites Trafficked Under Guise of Jobs
According to police, over 100 people, including Keralites, were allegedly recruited and sent to Cambodia by a racket under the guise of overseas job opportunities. The fraud came to light after Kochi city police arrested Palakkad native Abdul Rahman, a kingpin in the case, two weeks ago for a cybercrime.
Arrest of Kingpin Abdul Rahman
Rahman was arrested in connection with a case involving the swindling of Rs 37 lakh from a doctor he met through a matrimonial website. He is accused of creating a fake profile of an NRI woman and contacting the doctor. After earning his trust, the accused asked the doctor to invest in online trading that promised huge profits.
Following the doctor’s complaint, police launched a probe and arrested Rahman from Delhi. They initially registered a cheating case against Rahman. However, during questioning, police learned that he was part of a human trafficking racket based in Cambodia. He revealed to police that he had recruited over 100 people to Cambodia and used to charge around Rs 3 lakh for trafficking a single person. After paying other members of the racket, he would receive about Rs 2 lakh per person.
Racket Controlled by Chinese Nationals
The racket, believed to be controlled by Chinese nationals, is said to have run fraud through social media, using trading and loan app advertisements, as well as matrimonial platforms. Investigators also found that the racket created more than a thousand fake matrimonial profiles in the names of both men and women for this purpose.
Deportation of Keralites and Operation Cambodia
During further probe, police also learned about 12 Keralites being deported by Cambodian authorities after they were found without the necessary documents to remain in the country. Police soon launched an investigation under the codename ‘Operation Cambodia’.
Once the statement-recording of the victims is completed, the cyber cell ACP will submit the report to the DGP. According to sources, police are expected to request a probe by central investigation agencies into the case.
Rahman in Remand, Further Interrogation Sought
At present, Rahman is in remand, and the probe team will soon seek his custody again for interrogation. Authorities are examining his bank accounts and property holdings.
