Job Fraud: Seven Migrant Workers Promised Jobs In Canada, Held Captive In Kochi, Rescued

In a case of interstate employment fraud, the Kochi city police rescued seven migrant workers who came from different states on a promise of a lucrative job in Canada, but were allegedly held captive in the city of Kochi by a criminal gang. The victims hail from Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. They fell prey to the lure of the prospects of getting a high-paying job abroad.

Each of these men had paid approximately Rs 30 lakh to the fraudsters, who promised them that all the necessary documentation and arrangements for their migration to Canada would be handled with this money, as per a report by The New Indian Express. However, after making the payment, when these victims reached the city on the alleged promise of international travel, they were instead taken to the rented house in Cheranalloor, a suburb in Ernakulam district of Kerala, and confined there. They were even threatened and prevented from leaving.

How The Job Fraud Was Conducted

The fraudsters followed a detailed method to trap prospects. They devised an elaborate plan to deceive not just the victims but their families, too. The gang installed large flex boards inside the rented house featuring the images of various Canadian locations to create the fake backdrop, a false impression to suggest being at that location.

The victims were then forced to stand in front of these images and filmed to create the impression that they had reached Canada and that the pictures and videos were taken at the actual locations. These videos were subsequently sent to their relatives to convince them that their migration process was complete.

This tactic was to spiral the fraud and extract further funds from the unsuspecting families.

Investigation found that all these victims were educated only up to Class 12th, which made them vulnerable to such a sophisticated fraud.

Job Fraud Bursted

On June 12, after receiving a tip-off, police started a rescue operation. The racket was eventually exposed when one of the victims somehow managed to escape the confinement and informed the authorities. However, the fraudsters, anticipating being caught by the police, fled the scene. Reportedly, there were 11 people in the gang, who ran away taking the large sums of money and victims' identity proofs, mobile phones, etc., with them.  

Meanwhile, the rescue operation led the police to the rented house where the victims were held captive. Upon entering the premises, police found them (victims) in a notably weakened condition and rescued them.

Subsequently, police have been able to arrest one of the fraudsters, a native of Siliguri in West Bengal. He was detained near the Ernakulam South Railway Station. The police also recovered the victims’ passports, mobile phones, and around Rs 1 lakh of cash from his possession.  

The apprehended fraudster was produced before a magistrate's court and then was sent to judicial custody while the search for other suspects continues. Authorities are coordinating with law enforcement in other states, as the nature of the fraud suggests that the gang may have operated a similar fraud in other states as well.