Pimpri Chinchwad, 10th January 2026: What initially appeared to be a routine interrogation in a digital investment fraud case took an unexpected turn when police discovered that a 37-year-old man from Ratnagiri was himself a victim of cyber slavery.
The man was detained by Pimpri Chinchwad police for questioning after his contact details surfaced during an investigation into an online share trading scam. During questioning, however, he revealed that he had been forced into participating in cyber fraud operations after being trafficked abroad under the guise of a job opportunity.
According to his statement, the ordeal began in April 2023 when he came across a job advertisement on social media offering a data entry position in a Southeast Asian country. The offer promised a monthly salary of тВ╣1 lakh, along with accommodation and food. Tempted by the prospects, he accepted the offer and travelled abroad via Mumbai.
тАЬSoon after I reached there, my passport was confiscated,тАЭ the man told investigators. тАЬI was instructed to make calls and send messages through mobile apps to cheat people in online share trading scams. When I refused, I was beaten and threatened.тАЭ
He alleged that he was subjected to severe physical abuse and intimidation until he complied. тАЬThere were many others like me, including Indians and Bangladeshi nationals. Those who resisted were tortured, and some were even given electric shocks,тАЭ he said.
The victim said around 50 people, including women, were confined at the premises and forced to carry out online fraud. Many, he added, had no option but to comply and were made to lure unsuspecting victims, mostly from India, through messaging applications.
Despite being held for nearly three to four months, the man said he was unable to scam a single person. Eventually, he was labelled as an underperformer and sent back to India. тАЬI was not paid anything. They forced me to call my family and ask them to book my return ticket. Before letting me leave, they erased all data from my phone and warned me not to speak about what had happened,тАЭ he said.
After returning to India, the man remained silent due to fear and trauma. He disclosed the details of his experience only after being recently detained by the police during the ongoing cyber fraud investigation.
Cyber slavery is increasingly being recognised as a modern form of human trafficking, where individuals are lured with fake overseas job offers and later coercedтАФoften through violence or psychological pressureтАФinto carrying out online scams.
Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey said the police are receiving a growing number of complaints related to such cases. тАЬWe are seeing a disturbing trend where job seekers are trapped abroad and forced into cyber crimes. Aspirants must thoroughly verify agents, companies, visas, and employment contracts before accepting overseas job offers,тАЭ he said.
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