NEW DELHI: The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA has filed a charge sheet against the CEO of Laos-based Long Sheng Company in the high-profile human trafficking and cyber fraud case having an international footprint, officials said on Tuesday.
Identifying the accused as Sudarshan Darade, against whom the charge sheet has been filed, the officials said he was arrested by the agency from Mumbai in June this year.
Darade has been named in the charge sheet as a key culprit in the case, the officials said, adding that he is the sixth accused, who has been named in the charge sheet in the case, and the third, after Jerry Jacob and Godfrey Alvares.
“A large amount of incriminating material has been recovered from Darade’s mobile phones. Darade has also revealed details to NIA regarding another wanted accused, Sunny Gonsalves, as well as foreign nationals Niu Niu and Elvis Du, who are still absconding. NIA is following up on the information to get leads on the absconders,” a senior officer in the investigating team said.
In the charge sheet, the NIA has alleged that it has found 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 cryptocurrency frauds. On Darade’s instructions, Jacob would arrange for the transportation of the Indian youth to the Golden Triangle Laos,” the NIA charge sheet read.
It further said that shocking details of the investigation show that refusal by the trafficked youth to engage in the cyber fraud in the Golden Triangle led to starvation and lashing in locked rooms. Some youth were even given electric shocks if they failed to meet their targets of befriending prospective victims on social media, it added.
The officials said that the NIA is in constant touch with the identified/rescued victims to gather further information about others involved in the racket, and is also spreading awareness among youth about the dangers of engaging with unverified international companies for employment.