A young man from Kithore has alleged that a ₹70,000-a-month job promise in Malaysia turned into a nightmare involving a ₹16 lakh payment, confiscation of his passport, unpaid labour and threats of arrest.
Babbar Singh, a resident of Asilpur village, told police that he was taken abroad after being promised work at an almond-packing company. After reaching Malaysia through Thailand, his original passport was allegedly seized and he was given what he described as a fake Nepalese passport.
His brother Billu later approached Kithore Police Station. Police have registered a case against four men identified as Eesha, Shamim, Ali and Aman, while a team has been formed to trace the accused.
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A ₹70,000 Salary Promise Led to a ₹16 Lakh Payment
According to the complaint, Babbar came into contact with Eesha in January.
Eesha, who was from the same village, allegedly told him that he arranged overseas jobs and could secure him employment at an almond-packing company in Malaysia for ₹70,000 per month.
Babbar claims he eventually paid around ₹16 lakh through different channels.
He was later taken from Meerut to Delhi, where three youths from Muzaffarnagar — Danish, Shahwezar and Ramzan — allegedly joined the group. The four were then taken to Mumbai and flown to Thailand.
From Thailand, Babbar alleges, an associate helped them cross into Malaysia.
There they allegedly met Shamim, who took possession of their passports and put them to work.
Babbar claimed that after about a month they were transferred to another agent, identified as Ali. He alleged that they were made to work 12 to 14 hours a day without receiving the promised salary and were threatened with jail when they protested.
Why Passport Seizure Is a Serious Trafficking Warning Sign
Not every bad overseas job automatically amounts to human trafficking or forced labour. But some warning signs are well recognised internationally.
The International Labour Organization identifies restriction of movement, withholding of wages, threats, intimidation and retention of identity documents among indicators that can point towards forced labour.
Passport confiscation is particularly important.
The ILO says taking away a migrant worker’s passport can restrict freedom of movement and increase the risk of forced labour. Workers should normally retain access to their own identity and travel documents.
In Babbar’s account, the allegation goes further.
He claims his Indian passport was taken and replaced with a purportedly fake Nepalese passport. The men were allegedly warned that using those documents could lead to their arrest, creating another layer of fear and dependence.
If established, those circumstances would be highly relevant to any investigation into trafficking, coercion and illegal overseas recruitment.
What Is an Emergency Certificate?
Babbar eventually said he received help from two youths from Punjab, identified as Happy and Goldy.
According to his account, they helped arrange an Emergency Certificate, allowing him to return to India despite no longer possessing his original passport.
An Emergency Certificate is a temporary travel document generally issued by an Indian mission when an Indian citizen abroad cannot travel on a valid passport.
It is not a replacement passport for ordinary travel. Its purpose is usually to allow the person to return to India in an emergency or when normal passport travel is no longer possible.
That document appears to have been critical in Babbar’s return.
₹16 Lakh Payment Itself Should Have Raised a Red Flag
The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly warned Indians seeking jobs overseas to verify recruiting agents before handing over money or passports.
Under the Emigration Act, recruiting agents sending Indians abroad for employment must be registered with the Protector General of Emigrants. The MEA says workers can verify registered agents through the eMigrate system.
The Government’s guidance also states that a recruiting agent’s service charge cannot exceed the equivalent of 45 days’ wages under the employment contract, subject to a maximum of ₹20,000.
Against that benchmark, an alleged payment of ₹16 lakh for arranging a ₹70,000-a-month job would be an extraordinary warning sign.
The MEA specifically advises jobseekers not to hand over money, passports or educational documents until the foreign employer and job have been independently verified. It also tells workers abroad not to surrender their passports.
Police Now Looking at the Wider Recruitment Chain
Meerut Rural SP Abhijit Kumar said police received a complaint, conducted a preliminary inquiry and registered a case. Teams have been deployed to arrest the accused.
Investigators will now have to reconstruct the alleged recruitment chain from Kithore to Delhi, Mumbai, Thailand and Malaysia.
Financial records could show where the ₹16 lakh went. Travel and immigration records may establish how the men entered Malaysia, while phone records could identify the overseas contacts involved.
Police will also need to determine whether the other three youths taken from Muzaffarnagar faced similar treatment and whether more workers were sent abroad through the same network.
The source report contains an unresolved timeline issue: it says Babbar was allegedly kept and made to work for five months, while also stating he was taken from Meerut around two months before the report. That duration therefore requires independent verification during the investigation.
What this means for you: Before paying for an overseas job, verify the recruiting agent on the Government’s eMigrate system and independently confirm the employer and visa category. Never surrender your passport to an agent or employer, and treat unusually large recruitment fees as a major red flag.
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