In a crackdown on a growing cybercrime and trafficking racket, Lucknow police have arrested two key suspects for allegedly luring Indian job seekers abroad and coercing them into cyber fraud activities in Myanmar.
The accused—Javed Iqbal (36) and Mohammad Ahmed alias Bhaiyya (35)—were taken into custody on Saturday and sent to jail. Police confirmed that both men have been previously involved in similar fraudulent schemes.
The case surfaced after Sultan Salahuddin Rabbani, a Lucknow resident, filed a complaint at Madeyganj police station. He reported that he and two others were promised lucrative data entry jobs in Thailand. Instead, they were trafficked to Myanmar and forced to engage in online fraud operations.
“Javed Iqbal took Rs50,000 as an advance for a job offer in Bangkok with a promised salary of 30,000 Thai Baht,” said Additional DCP (Central Zone) Manisha Singh. Rabbani flew to Bangkok on September 30, 2024, only to be handed over to another group and smuggled into Myanmar.
Further investigation revealed a wider inter-state trafficking network, involving suspects Zeeshan Khan, Rafaq Rahi, Ashraf, Sameer, Nafees, and Chhotu. These individuals operated between India, Bangkok, and Myanmar, holding victims hostage and forcing them to carry out cyber scams.
Police say the victims were kept under tight surveillance, had their passports seized, and were threatened into compliance.
Authorities are continuing the investigation to trace more victims and dismantle the full operation.
