Electric shocks, starvation, lashings given to Indian youngsters taken to Laos promising jobs: NIA chargesheet

Indian youngsters trafficked to Laos were given electric shocks if they didn’t meet their targets of befriending prospective victims on social media, according to a chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday against Sudarshan Darade, the CEO of Laos-based Long Sheng Company in the high-profile human trafficking and cyber fraud case. They were also subjected to starvation and lashings in private rooms by the accused.

Scores of youngsters from across India were promised high-end jobs in Laos, where they were forced into cyber crimes.

Darade, who is based in Nashik and was arrested by NIA Mumbai in June this year, has been named in the chargesheet as a key accused in the case. Darade is the sixth accused to be chargesheeted in the case, and the third, after Jerry Jacob and Godfrey Alvares, to have been arrested. Three more, including two foreign nationals, have been named as wanted accused in the case.

A large amount of incriminating material has been recovered from Darade’s mobile phones. Darade has also revealed details to NIA on wanted accused Sunny Gonsalves as well as foreign nationals Niu Niu and Elvis Du, an NIA official said.

NIA investigations have revealed that Darade’s company, Long Sheng, based in Bokeo province of Laos PDR, was actively involved in the racket relating to trafficking of youth to the Golden Triangle Laos PDR via Bangkok on the pretext of job offers.

The company would conduct WhatsApp interviews and send appointment letters to the youth, who, on reaching the destination, were forced to commit online crypto currency frauds. On Darade’s instructions, Jacob would arrange for the transportation of the Indian youth to the Golden Triangle Laos.

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai...