Following the complaint, TGCSB officials registered a case under the relevant sections, including Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000–2008, and Section 24 of the Emigration Act.
Hyderabad: A Hyderabad-based gig worker who was trafficked to Myanmar and forced into cybercrime managed a dramatic escape by travelling nearly 20 km to the border, crossing into Thailand with the help of the army and returning to India. He has lodged a complaint with the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) against one Arif, who posed as a Chinese national and played a key role in sending him abroad under false pretences.
Following the complaint, TGCSB officials registered a case under the relevant sections, including Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000–2008, and Section 24 of the Emigration Act.
According to TGCSB, the 26-year-old delivery worker approached the bureau after being cheated by Asif, who offered him a fake overseas job and caused him “severe mental and physical distress”. In April 2025, the victim travelled to Dubai on a visiting visa with his cousin’s guidance. He searched for a job for two months but returned home after failing to secure one.
Back in Hyderabad, he met Mosin, a local resident working as a driver in Kuwait. Still desperate for employment abroad, he sought Mosin’s help. Mosin then introduced him to Arif, also known by the Chinese alias Zochai (Instagram ID: ohnoarif_11), who became the primary link in sending the victim overseas.
Arif offered him a data-entry job in Bangkok, claiming it was legitimate and assuring him that he himself was already employed in Myanmar with the same company. Trusting him, the victim agreed and attended a virtual interview with Wentao, the managing director of Zhantu Group, Myanmar, in August 2025.
The accused coordinated every step. The company, through Wentao, booked a tourist ticket from Hyderabad to Bangkok for August 10, 2025. After reaching Thailand, the victim was taken to Mae Sot and smuggled into Myanmar through forest routes. He was transported to the notorious KK6 Park, where he was forced to sign a one-year contract. At Zhantu Company, he underwent two months of training and was compelled to take part in online scam operations.
Officials said that when the victim refused, he was fined 5,000 Thai baht and jailed for 24 hours. He continued working until October 22, when he seized an opportunity to flee. He travelled around 20 km to the Myanmar border and crossed into Thailand with assistance from the Thai army. On October 23, the army handed him over to the Indian Embassy, which arranged his return. He reached Delhi on November 6.
During the ordeal, the victim realised that Arif was part of a larger fraud syndicate involved in human trafficking and forced cybercrime. The accused allegedly lured vulnerable Indians with promises of overseas jobs, moved them illegally across borders, and placed them in scam centres running online fraud operations. TGCSB officials said investigations are underway to identify all members of the network and verify whether others from the city were trafficked in a similar manner.
