The CIU Mumbai has arrested five individuals in connection with a major racket involving the sending of youths to South Korea using forged documents. Among those arrested are Navy Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar (28) and Sub-Lieutenant Brahmjyoti Sharma, along with their associates. The accused allegedly facilitated unskilled laborers from Suchetgarh village in Jammu and Kashmir to South Korea for various jobs using falsified documents. The investigation has revealed that Deepak Dagra, who had previously lived in South Korea for three to five years, was involved in the racket. Initially employed as a butcher and later producing beauty masks, Dagra is alleged to have earned between Rs 1 to 2 lakhs during his stay.
The police suspect that over 1,000 youths from Jammu and Kashmir may have been illegally sent to South Korea for employment. The investigation also uncovered that Sub-Lieutenant Brahmjyoti Sharma met Simran Teji through a dating app and maintained a close friendship with her for the past two to three years. Simran, who teaches German at a college in Pune, opened bank accounts in her mother and grandmother's names, linking them to Sharma's mobile number. These accounts hold deposits totaling Rs 4.3 lakhs. Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar and Sub-Lieutenant Brahmjyoti Sharma reportedly have around Rs 4 lakhs in their own accounts.
Further investigation found that Deepak Dagra, while stationed in Visakhapatnam, used his position to facilitate the process of sending youths to South Korea by visiting the South Korean embassy in Chennai. After being transferred to Mumbai, Dagra attempted to retrieve a visa for Ravi Kumar, falsely presenting him as a doctor with a fake document claiming Vipin Kumar ran a dental clinic in Nashik. However, suspicions were raised at the South Korean embassy in Worli due to discrepancies in the application, leading to the exposure of the racket. Ravi Kumar, who was planning to work as a carpenter in South Korea, was subsequently arrested.
Deepak Dagra himself worked in South Korea from 2017 onwards, returning during the COVID-19 pandemic after reportedly earning between Rs 25 to 30 lakhs. Dagra also owns significant land in Jammu and Kashmir. The investigation suggests that Dagra played a pivotal role in the illegal operation to send youths from Jammu and Kashmir to South Korea. Given the presence of a substantial number of Pakistani nationals in South Korea, along with Indians, the police are now investigating the case from a potential terror angle.