Kishanganj Police and Bihar STF have arrested two men accused of running an overseas job racket that allegedly sent unemployed youths abroad through illegal routes after collecting large sums of money.
The accused have been identified as Haji Nahid Ghani, 28, and Mohammad Tabrez. Police arrested them in Patna on October 16 after complaints linked them to job offers in Malaysia, Thailand, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Investigators allege that some victims were promised legitimate employment but were instead moved through illegal migration routes and later forced into different work under harsh conditions.
The allegations are under investigation and have not been proved in court.
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Youths Allegedly Charged Lakhs for Foreign Jobs
Police said the accused targeted unemployed youths in Bihar’s Seemanchal region with promises of well-paying jobs overseas.
They allegedly collected substantial amounts from families before arranging travel.
In one complaint registered at Bishanpur police station, a family alleged that ₹1.80 lakh was taken to send their son abroad for employment.
The youth was reportedly taken from Patna to Delhi and then flown to Thailand.
Police allege he was later moved illegally into Malaysia through what investigators described as a “donkey route”.
A donkey route refers to an illegal migration path in which travellers cross countries or borders without proper immigration clearance, often with help from agents or smugglers.
Such journeys can involve forged documents, unauthorised border crossings and dangerous travel conditions.
Several reports from the region over the past month had already described young men from Kishanganj and Purnea being stranded in Malaysia after allegedly paying agents for jobs.
Some families said relatives were detained by immigration authorities, while others were forced to hide because they lacked valid papers.
Police Probe Companies Allegedly Used by Accused
Kishanganj SDPO Khusro Siraj said the accused were connected to businesses used to arrange overseas travel and employment.
Police identified entities including Haji Nahid Ghani Private Limited and Taiba Tour and Travels.
Investigators are examining whether these firms were used to collect money, arrange travel and coordinate with foreign intermediaries.
Police also say they are probing the role of an alleged Pakistani agent based in Malaysia who may have helped receive or control migrants after they arrived overseas.
That part of the investigation remains at an early stage.
Authorities have not yet publicly established the full size of the network or how many people were sent abroad.
Reports citing police say more than a dozen cases involving allegations of cheating and unlawful confinement are registered against the accused across Kishanganj and Purnea districts.
Police are also examining financial transactions and assets allegedly acquired through the operation.
If investigators establish that property was purchased with proceeds of crime, authorities may initiate steps to attach those assets.
Victims Allegedly Faced Exploitative Conditions Abroad
The case goes beyond a conventional job scam because police are investigating possible human trafficking.
In a normal overseas employment fraud, victims may lose money after being promised a job that does not exist.
Trafficking involves a more serious element.
Victims can be transported or controlled through deception and then exploited for labour or other purposes.
Police allege that some youths were promised one type of work but were forced into different jobs after reaching foreign countries.
Reports have also described alleged bonded-labour-like conditions and victims being unable to move freely.
Families from the region had earlier said some youths ended up hiding in Malaysian forest areas after immigration problems left them without valid documentation or secure employment.
These claims are now forming part of the wider investigation into how the alleged network operated.
Overseas Job Fraud Remains a Major Risk
Fraud involving foreign employment often targets families willing to borrow money, mortgage land or use savings to secure jobs abroad.
Agents may promise high salaries, visas and accommodation while demanding payments before travel.
Victims sometimes discover only after reaching another country that their visa does not permit employment or that the promised company does not exist.
In more serious cases, passports may be taken away or workers may become dependent on local handlers.
Indian authorities repeatedly advise job seekers to verify overseas recruiters through official government systems before paying fees or handing over passports.
Recruitment agents sending Indian workers abroad are subject to legal requirements, and suspicious offers involving indirect travel through multiple countries should be treated as a major warning sign.
Police are now trying to determine how many youths were affected, how much money was collected and whether additional agents operated in India or overseas.
What this means for you:
Before paying an agent for an overseas job, verify the recruiter, visa category and employer independently. Avoid any arrangement involving travel through a third country or an unofficial border route.
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