Victims say they were forced to make fraudulent and scam calls to individuals; some members of syndicate were Indian. They have urged Indian authorities to help others still stranded in Laos, where they are being subjected to torturous exploitation, including slavery, sexual harassment, and other abuses
Victim Salman Khan, a resident of Ghatkopar (left); victim Vijay Chaurisya, a resident of Diva (middle) and Ayesha Shaikh (right), mother of another victim. Pics/Rajesh Gupta
Months after 47 Indians trapped in Chinese-run cyber scam centres in Laos were rescued and brought home, six more Mumbai-based individuals escaped similar horrific circumstances and have urged Indian authorities to help others still stranded in Laos, where they are being subjected to torturous exploitation, including slavery, sexual harassment, and other abuses.
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mid-day spoke to six individuals on Tuesday who returned to Mumbai after spending nearly two years in Laos. The victims claimed that a woman named Naziya approached them with promises of lucrative jobs in Thailand offering handsome salaries.
“Naziya told us the job would be simple—a regular computer job,” recounted 24-year-old Salman Khan, a resident of Ghatkopar. “She arranged my passport and assured my family that I would earn at least Rs 50,000 a month. All I had to do was reach Bangkok, and the rest would be taken care of,” he said.
Echoing Khan’s story, Ayesha Shaikh, the mother of one Shehenshah Shaikh—who is yet to return home—shared her ordeal. “My son went there with hopes of a good job to help our family survive. Naziya came to us and convinced us it would pay well. But three days after he arrived, he told me about the suffering he was going through.”
The victims revealed that instead of legitimate computer jobs, they were forced to make fraudulent and scam calls to individuals. “We were given computers equipped with AI-enabled software. They provided us with a script, mostly in Hindi, which we had to follow during the calls. Our job was to deceive people into providing their bank details or transferring money to specific accounts. If we failed to meet targets, they locked us in chambers for days without food or water,” said one of the victims.
Another victim added, “The system even allowed us to change our voices. For example, as a man, I could modulate my voice to sound like a woman to manipulate individuals into transferring money.” The victims disclosed that while some members of the syndicate were Indian, the leaders giving orders were Chinese nationals.
“Naziya and my two supervisors, Imad Altaf Qazi and Fayyad Shaikh, were the ones we reported to,” said another victim. “Many women were locked in chambers and subjected to rape and harassment if they couldn’t meet their targets.” When asked about the number of Indians trapped in similar circumstances, a survivor estimated, “At least 200 to 300 Indians are stuck. The chambers and offices are heavily guarded by security personnel who beat anyone trying to escape.”
An NCP leader in Mumbai said that he has approached several police stations, including Ghatkopar, Diva, Mankhurd, Mahim, and Mumbra. However, the police are yet to register an FIR. “We were told to submit written complaints, which we are in the process of doing,” said a victim.
The victims and their families have also faced extortion. “Naziya called my family, demanding money. She threatened to have me killed if they didn’t pay,” said Vijay Kumar Chaurisya, a 38-year-old resident of Diva. “Since I couldn’t communicate with my family, they ended up paying over R12 lakh. They took loans for this and are now struggling to repay the amount,” he added.
The survivors are now pleading with the authorities to act swiftly and rescue those still trapped in Laos while ensuring justice for the victims. In August last year, the Indian embassy in Laos successfully rescued 47 Indian citizens trapped in cyber scam centres located in the Bokeo province of the country.
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