The Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Saturday arrested a wanted criminal, with a bounty of Rs 2 lakhs, from Hyderabad allegedly involved in the illegal trafficking of Indian youths and forcing them to work in fake call centres engaging in cyber fraud.
According to the police, the arrest came after a 2,500-kilometre non-stop chase. The accused has been identified as Kamran Haider alias Zaidi, resident of Delhi’s Jasola, who was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in case related to illegal human trafficking across international borders.
A reward of Rs. 2,00,000 was declared on the accused Kamran by the NIA and claimed that he was trying to go abroad to Thailand and Laos.
"After a long persevering chase of 2,500 km, Kamran Haider alias Zaidi was nabbed from Hyderabad," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Manoj C said.
According to police, on May 27, a case under section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 370 (trafficking), 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at New Friends Colony Police Station on the complaint of one Naresh Lakhavath, who said he was searching for a job when he came across Ali International Service, a consultancy firm supposedly based in New Delhi.
"The firm offered him a job in Thailand and Laos and he was eventually sent to Thailand on the pretext of getting a job. But when he reached there, his passport was snatched and he was forced to work for a Chinese company which used to scam Indian people online," the DCP said.
An investigation carried out by the NIA identified Manjoor Alam alias Guddu, Sahil, Ashish alias Akhil, Pawan Yadav alias Afzal and Afroz, and Haider as key conspirators.
“All five were involved in trafficking vulnerable Indian youth to the Golden Triangle Region in Laos where they were forced to commit cyber scams targeting European and American citizens,” the officer said, adding that they operated through Ali International Services, which functioned as a front.
"The main accused was identified as Kamran Haider. Kamran Haider absconded and despite all efforts accused Kamran Haider could not be arrested. He was trying to go abroad to Thailand and Laos," the DCP said.
Another officer said that he along with his syndicate members hatched the whole conspiracy. “It was Zaidi who had facilitated the entire operation and was also involved in extorting money through crypto currency wallets from victims who tried to escape the clutches of the Chinese scammers, as per NIA investigation,” he said, adding that this syndicate head by Zaidi was indulged from operation of unlicensed manpower supply agency, to illegal transfer/ transport of potential victims for criminal activities in South Eastern Asian countries.
“The human trafficked persons were being used as a slave and forced to work inhumane conditions,” the officer said.
Haider continuously changed his locations from one state to another after he absconded. Teams were stationed in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to nab him, police said.
"Zaidi was located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Immediately two different teams of the special cell were sent to Hyderabad. He was apprehended on December 7 after a long persevering chase of 2,500 kilometres by the team without any rest.
"He was apprehended near Nampally Railway Station, Hyderabad, Telangana while trying to escape to another hideout," said the DCP.
