A dark underbelly of job scams has been pierced by Gujarat Police. Two men—Kaushik Pethani of Amreli and Dhruv Dobariya of Surat—stand arrested for recruiting and shipping unemployed Indians to cyber fraud factories overseas. The Cyber Centre of Excellence’s Thursday operation sheds light on a ruthless syndicate exploiting economic vulnerability.
The accused used social media to broadcast ‘golden opportunities’ abroad, drawing in eager applicants. Fake interviews and training sessions built false hopes, followed by hefty payments for passports and tickets. Destinations like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos turned into nightmares, with victims press-ganged into digital crimes: crypto thefts, bogus investments, and relentless online cons.
Dubbed ‘Ali Baba’ in fraud circles, Pethani orchestrated the entire pipeline, pocketing 70,000 to 1.5 lakhs per victim. Dobariya, his sub-agent, handled at least five cases. Enslaved recruits lost freedoms—passports yanked, phones smashed, bodies and minds tormented if they rebelled.
The ring’s ambitions stretched wide, targeting South Asians and plotting expansions to UAE, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Georgia. ‘This is cyber slavery at its core, and we’re committed to eradication,’ declared SP Vivek Bheda.
Ongoing raids aim to unravel the full network. Public advisories flood out: scrutinize job ads, shun shady agents. In an era of digital job hunts, this bust reminds us of the human cost behind faceless scams.