Mumbai Police’s South Cyber Cell has arrested an accused, identified as Salman Munir Shaikh, from Mira Road for allegedly luring unemployed youths abroad under the pretext of providing jobs, only to detain them and extort money for their release.
The action was initiated on the basis of a complaint lodged by a resident of Antop Hill.
According to the complainant’s statement to the police, he was searching for a job when he came across the accused through LinkedIn. Shaikh offered him a data entry job in a Thailand-based company with a promised salary of ₹70,000 per month. Convinced, the complainant and his friend agreed to travel.
Both men paid ₹30,000 each to Shaikh for visa and tickets. On 9th February 2024, Shaikh took the complainant, his friend, and three others to Bangkok. From there, with the help of a Chinese woman, he transported all five individuals to Laos by car.
In Laos, the victims were handed over to a Chinese man who forced them to work in a call centre. They were not allowed to leave, and a ransom of 20,000 Chinese Yuan was demanded for their release.
Since the complainant was unable to pay, Shaikh allegedly replaced them with two other Indians in Laos before finally releasing him. The victim then returned and lodged a legal complaint against Shaikh and his associates.
Based on confidential information, police learned that the accused had changed his passport address and was hiding in Naya Nagar, Mira Road. A special team tracked him down and arrested him on Wednesday.