In a major crackdown, a joint operation by police, intelligence, and administrative agencies led to the rescue of 453 Nepalese youths, including young men and women, from an alleged job scam and illegal training network operating in Kushinagar district. Ten persons, among them two women, have been arrested, while the alleged mastermind remains at large.
Operation Triggered by Social Media Complaints
The operation was initiated after several victims contacted the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi via the social media platform X, alleging they were lured to India with promises of employment but were instead confined and exploited. The gang specifically targeted economically weaker and less educated individuals from various parts of Nepal, enticing them to travel to Kushinagar under the pretext of job and educational opportunities.
Victims Charged Hefty Fees
Once the victims arrived, they were duped into paying money for training, registration, and other processing charges. According to police, each victim was allegedly charged between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1 lakh on the pretext of providing professional training and job placement services. Many had reportedly been staying in Kushinagar since January this year while undergoing what was described as training for prospective jobs.
Joint Team Conducts Raids
Following the complaints, a team from the Nepal Embassy, led by Ambika Joshi, along with SSP Pranesh Mall and Sahara Chapa Gayatri, visited Kushinagar and held meetings with district administration and police officials. Subsequently, a joint team comprising the UP Police’s Special Task Force (STF), crime branch, special operations group (SOG), surveillance cell, and local police conducted raids at a facility operating under the name Vince Pyre World Company on Sapaha Road in Kaseya town. However, by the time the teams reached the premises, the alleged operator had already fled after shutting down the centre.
Victims Found in Rented Accommodations
Kushinagar SP Keshav Kumar said investigators later traced the victims to several rented accommodations in the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Nagar area of Kasya. Police recovered nine forged Aadhaar cards, 60 bond papers, a laptop, gold rings, Rs 60,320 in Indian currency, and Nepali currency worth Rs 14,290 from the accused.
Forged Documents Used to Gain Trust
Police further alleged that the racket used forged documents purportedly linked to reputed companies and, in some cases, arranged Indian Aadhaar cards to gain the confidence of Nepalese nationals and draw them deeper into the network. The victims were then allegedly subjected to sustained financial exploitation.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Among those arrested were Nepali nationals Deepak Thapa, Om Prakash Chaulagai, Nima Sherpa, Ganesh Khatri, Sojanya Santan, Gyanendra Yadav, and Vishal Tamang, along with Sarvesh Pratap Rao, a resident of Parsouna in Kaseya. Two women allegedly linked to the racket were also taken into custody. During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to being part of an organised international network that targeted vulnerable individuals through forged documents and false promises of jobs, education, and financial gains.
Police have registered a case under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched a manhunt to trace other members of the syndicate.
