The case of Neel Purohit, accused of running an international cyber slavery racket, has gained national attention. Gujarat Police presented the investigation as the sole case study at a two-day conference held at Bharat Mandapam on February 10–11.
The conference brought together 375 delegates from law enforcement agencies, central and state governments, banking institutions, and telecom providers to discuss strategies against organised cybercrime. Officials from the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE), which led the investigation, represented Gujarat Police.
Purohit, nicknamed ‘Ghost’ for evading arrest and concealing his identity for months, was apprehended in Gandhinagar in November 2025 while allegedly attempting to flee to Malaysia.
Investigations revealed that Purohit had allegedly trafficked nearly 1,000 Indian youths abroad, especially to Myanmar, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries, under the pretext of well-paid overseas jobs. Once there, victims were forced into cyber slavery operations, carrying out online frauds, particularly the “digital arrest” scam.
Purohit reportedly managed recruitment, trafficking routes, financial logistics, and cross-border operations for the network. His key associates — Hitesh Somaiya, Sonal Faldu, Bhavdeep Jadeja, and Hardeep Jadeja — were also arrested in connection with the racket.
Purohit allegedly earned commissions of $2,000–$4,500 (Rs 1.6–3.7 lakh) per person trafficked, sharing 30–40% with sub-agents. The racket involved crores of rupees, routed through multiple mule bank accounts and more than five cryptocurrency wallets to hide the trail.
After intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Gujarat Police handed documentary and forensic evidence to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The state police are now working closely with the central agency, mandated by the Supreme Court to investigate organised cybercrime.
