Agra: In a major breakthrough against an international cyber slavery network, Agra Cyber Crime Police have arrested the alleged mastermind accused of trapping Indian youths in cyber fraud operations based in Cambodia and Laos. The accused, Nagesh Kumar alias Captain Chauhan, was arrested from Chandigarh and brought to Agra on transit remand. He is expected to be produced before a court on Friday. Investigators said the accused was once a Merchant Navy captain but later abandoned the profession and became involved in an international cyber fraud racket that allegedly trafficked Indian youths into overseas scam operations.
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Indian youths allegedly lured through fake overseas jobs
According to investigators, the accused is a resident of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh and had been associated with cyber slavery networks operating in Cambodia and Laos for nearly three years. Police recovered a mobile phone from him containing several suspicious WhatsApp chats, foreign contacts and digital evidence allegedly linked to Chinese cyber companies. Cyber Crime officials are now conducting forensic analysis of the chats and electronic records.
The investigation revealed that the accused allegedly targeted youths from different Indian states by promising lucrative overseas jobs, salaries in dollars and a better future abroad. Victims were reportedly charged up to ₹3.5 lakh each for the placement process. They were initially sent to Bangkok and later smuggled across borders into Cambodia and Laos through illegal routes. Once there, they were allegedly handed over to Chinese-run cyber scam companies.
Digital arrest and banking fraud links
Police sources said Indian youths working in these operations were allegedly forced to make calls targeting Indian citizens. They were reportedly used in cyber crimes involving digital arrest scams, online lottery frauds, investment scams, banking fraud and fake customer-care operations. Investigators believe Indian nationals were specifically chosen because they could communicate fluently in Hindi and other Indian languages, making it easier to gain victims’ trust.
Sources further claimed that the youths were offered commissions from the money generated through cyber fraud activities. However, those refusing to participate allegedly faced physical assault, mental harassment and confinement. Several victims claimed their passports and travel documents were confiscated to prevent escape. In some cases, families in India were allegedly pressured to send additional money.
The network reportedly came to light after a few victims managed to escape and return to India, where they approached the Cyber Crime Police with detailed accounts of their ordeal. The victims told investigators they had initially been promised genuine jobs but were later forced to work inside cyber fraud call centres after reaching foreign countries. They alleged they were made to work long hours carrying out online scams targeting unsuspecting people.
Police trace wider network after earlier arrests
During the course of the investigation, police had earlier arrested three other accused individuals. Their interrogation reportedly revealed that the gang’s agents were spread across India and several foreign countries. The name of Nagesh alias Captain Chauhan emerged during questioning, following which police had been tracking him for nearly six months. He was eventually arrested from Chandigarh based on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs.
Cyber Crime Police are now examining the accused’s bank accounts, travel history, foreign connections and digital data to uncover the full scale of the operation. Investigators suspect that hundreds of Indian youths may have been trafficked into similar cyber slavery setups through the network. Authorities are also attempting to determine how much money was generated through the alleged scams and which countries were linked to the operation.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said international cyber gangs are increasingly using social engineering and fake overseas job offers to trap Indian youths. He warned that people should thoroughly verify recruitment agencies and foreign job offers before making payments or sharing personal documents, as such fraud networks are becoming more organized and transnational in nature.
