The Gujarat Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE) has busted an international cyber-slavery and human trafficking network with the arrest of its alleged kingpin, Nilesh Purohit alias Neel, also known as “The Ghost.” Five of his associates, including a couple, have also been taken into custody. The syndicate, operating from Southeast Asian countries, targeted Indian citizens, including many from Gujarat, by luring them with fraudulent job offers.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, who holds the Home portfolio, said the investigation revealed that Purohit headed a global syndicate with more than 126 sub-agents. “He had links with agents in Pakistan and connections with 100 companies across several countries that supplied manpower to cyber-fraud centres in Southeast Asia,” Mr. Sanghvi said.
Purohit was detained in Gandhinagar while attempting to flee the country. His associates, Hitesh Somaiya and Sonal Phaldu, were arrested along with Bhavdeep Jadeja and Hardeep Jadeja. Sonal’s husband, Sanjay, was also taken into custody.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, Purohit is connected to the trafficking of more than 500 people from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin and Tunisia to Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. Victims were lured through social media advertisements promising high-paying overseas data-entry jobs.
“After seizing their passports, the accused transported victims across borders into Myanmar via routes near KK Park and Myawaddy Township. They were then forced to carry out illegal online activities, including phishing, cryptocurrency fraud, Ponzi schemes and dating-app scams,” Mr. Sanghvi said.
Records indicate that Purohit earned between $2,000 and $4,500 per victim, giving 30% to 40% of the amount to his sub-agents. “The financial transactions were routed through mule bank accounts and multiple cryptocurrency wallets,” the DCM added.
He said the Government of India, with assistance from authorities in Thailand and Myanmar, has carried out joint operations to rescue nearly 4,000 individuals. “Many of them identified Purohit as the agent responsible for sending them abroad. A case was registered, and a detailed probe was initiated,” Mr. Sanghvi said.
Officials added that the CCoE had been consistently analysing data, including interviews of rescued returnees shared by central agencies such as the I4C, and monitoring suspicious activities of agents associated with these scam compounds. “Dedicated teams were formed for technical analysis, digital forensics, interrogations and field operations. The intelligence gathered helped identify the agents involved in trafficking victims to cyber-fraud hubs across Southeast Asia,” they said.
Explaining the modus operandi, officials said the accused contacted citizens through social media platforms or peer-to-peer referrals with offers of lucrative jobs abroad. Once a victim showed interest, the agents conducted interviews and arranged flight tickets and other logistics. Trafficked individuals were typically instructed to travel on tourist visas.
“After landing at Bangkok airport, victims were received by armed Malaysian or Chinese operatives and covertly transported — often through remote terrain — into Myanmar’s regions where the scam compounds are located,” the officials said.
