Gurugram, May 31 (PTI) Social media influencer Balwant alias Bobby Kataria, who has been arrested in a human trafficking case, sent 33 people abroad on the pretext of helping them secure jobs, police here said on Friday.
Kataria, who was arrested by the Gurugram police on Monday, was produced in a city court on Friday on the expiry of his three-day police remand and was sent to judicial custody, they added.
The police had earlier recovered Rs 20 lakh cash and four mobile phones from his possession. During his police remand, two more mobile phones and nine passports were seized from Kataria, they said.
“Kataria confessed that he used to cheat people by luring them with jobs in foreign countries, and going abroad, the victims were forced to commit cyber fraud,” said a senior police officer.
Kataria along with his accomplice Manju Singh, who is yet to be arrested in the case, used to post job vacancies in foreign countries through their social media handles. They also used to charge some amount from the victims, the officer said.
“Kataria had opened offices in Gurugram, including Sikar (Rajasthan), Greater Faridabad and Nabha (Punjab) and he has so far sent 33 people abroad, of which 12 were sent to Armenia, 2 to Singapore, 4 to Bangkok, 3 to Canada and 12 to Laos,” said Sub-Inspector Pramod Kumar, the investigating officer in the case.
“Of those sent to Laos, five have returned while seven are still there,” Kumar added.
Varun Dahiya, ACP (Crime), said Kataria, who has over 3 lakh followers on Instagram, was in touch with one Ankit Shokeen, who is staying in Laos and asked the accused to send people there.
“We have sought the details of Kataria’s bank accounts. He was sent to jail today, while further probe is underway. Other accused will be arrested soon,” he said. PTI COR RPA
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