NIA Charges Bobby Kataria and Ankit Shokeen in Human Trafficking Case Involving Chinese Companies in Laos
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against two individuals in a human trafficking case involving Chinese companies based in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Laos.
Key Figures
Bobby Kataria: A social media influencer who has been arrested.
Ankit Shokeen: Kataria’s associate, currently absconding in Laos.
Details of the Case
According to the NIA, Kataria and Shokeen, along with others, were involved in recruiting and transporting jobseekers using deception. The victims were handed over to Chinese companies in Laos, where they were forced to carry out cyber frauds under harsh conditions.
The Chinese companies confiscated the victims’ passports and subjected them to physical and mental torture if they refused to comply.
Modus Operandi
Kataria and Shokeen incorporated MBK Global Visa Private Limited, a visa consultancy. Kataria used his popularity to attract job-seeking youth with lucrative job offers in countries like Singapore. After taking advance payments, he persuaded the victims to go to Laos.
Rescue Efforts
Many victims were rescued by the joint efforts of the Indian Embassy in Laos and local law enforcement. Investigations are ongoing to identify other accused involved in the racket and dismantle the entire syndicate.
Doubts Revealed
NIA -: NIA stands for National Investigation Agency. It is a government agency in India that investigates serious crimes like terrorism and human trafficking.
Bobby Kataria -: Bobby Kataria is a social media influencer, which means he is popular on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. He has been accused of being involved in a human trafficking case.
Ankit Shokeen -: Ankit Shokeen is another person accused in the same human trafficking case. Unlike Bobby Kataria, he is currently missing and the police are looking for him.
Human Trafficking -: Human trafficking is a very bad crime where people are tricked or forced into doing work or other activities against their will. It often involves moving them to different places.
Chinese Companies -: These are businesses from China. In this case, some Chinese companies in Laos are involved in the human trafficking activities.
Laos -: Laos is a country in Southeast Asia. It is where the human trafficking activities linked to the Chinese companies took place.
Cyber Fraud -: Cyber fraud is when people use computers and the internet to trick others and steal money or information. The victims in this case were forced to do this kind of fraud.
Indian Embassy -: An embassy is a place where representatives of a country live and work in another country. The Indian Embassy in Laos helped rescue the victims of human trafficking.
Absconding -: Absconding means running away to avoid being caught by the police. Ankit Shokeen is absconding, which means he is hiding from the authorities.
