Maharashtra Cyber rescues 60 Indians from cyber slavery in Myanmar

The rescued victims with Maharashtra Cyber officials. ADG Yashasvi Yadav (in brown blazer) is seen with DCP Hemraj Rajput (to his left). Pics/By special arrangement

In a major crackdown on one of the most disturbing forms of emerging cybercrime - cyber slavery - Maharashtra Cyber has successfully rescued over 60 Indian nationals who were trafficked to Myanmar under the false promise of lucrative overseas employment. The victims were coerced into working in large-scale cyber fraud operations run by transnational criminal syndicates.

According to officials, the victims were lured through social media by agents posing as employment consultants, offering high-paying jobs abroad. They were flown to Thailand on tourist visas, and then transported for hours toward the Thai-Myanmar border. "They were made to cross a river in small boats into Myanmar and then confined in heavily guarded compounds controlled by armed groups," said Yashasvi Yadav, ADG, Maharashtra Cyber.

The accused in Mumbai police custody

Once inside, the victims were forced to sign one-year contracts and engage in elaborate online scams, including fake investment schemes and digital arrest frauds. The operation had a layered structure - lower-tier workers used fake identities to bait targets, while upper-tier members posed as law enforcement officers to extort money.

Following their rescue and return to India, Maharashtra Cyber launched a detailed investigation. Three FIRs have been filed under Sections 127(2), 127(4), 143(2), 308(5), 308(4), 319(2), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.

So far, five arrests have been made, including that of Kazakh national Talaniti Nulaxi, reportedly of Chinese origin, who was allegedly planning to set up a cybercrime unit in India. Also arrested was Manish Grey alias Maddy, a small-time Indian actor who allegedly played a key role in recruiting victims. The others include Indian nationals Taisan alias Aaditya Ravi Chandran, Rupnarayan Ramdhar Gupta, and Jensi Rani D. "These were not isolated scams but part of a larger organised international racket. The accused operated behind the cover of call centers and placement agencies," Yadav added.

Investigations are ongoing, with statements being recorded from the rescued individuals to identify more culprits. "Maharashtra Cyber is committed to dismantling every layer of this network and ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice," Yadav said. The agency also revealed that victims were subjected to extreme torture. "They were locked in detention centres without food for up to 36 hours if they refused to work or failed to meet targets," said Hemraj Rajput, DCP, Maharashtra Cyber.

The rescue mission was led by ADG Yadav, DCP Rajput, and police inspectors Dilip Jadhav, Shashikant Avaghade, and Ranjeet Singh Pardeshi. "The operation spanned 15 days and involved multiple agencies. Our investigation into this cyber slavery racket has been ongoing for over a year," Rajput added.

According to officials, the victims were initially approached by a Mumbai-based recruiter for jobs in Singapore. However, due to accent mismatches, they were reassigned to target Indian victims instead. The scam primarily involved "digital arrests" - a growing form of cyber extortion. Sources say 564 Indians have been rescued from similar rackets across the country, including 60 from Maharashtra. The operation involved the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and other central agencies.

Victims have shared chilling testimonies. "We were promised call centre jobs in Thailand. Instead, we were smuggled into Myanmar through rivers and checkpoints. In Myawaddy, we were held captive and forced into cyber fraud," one said.

"Anyone who wanted to quit had to pay $3500. If we failed to meet our targets, we were fined between 1000 and 5000 Thai Baht, or detained without food," another victim recounted.Maharashtra Cyber has urged citizens to be cautious about job offers that promise high returns or overseas placements through unverified sources. The public is advised to verify recruiters and report suspicious activity to cybercrime authorities immediately.