Five FIRs. A network across at least three states. Agents from Pakistan to China. Over 500 victims trapped in cyber slavery. All in less than two years. Gujarat Police say this is the work of 29-year-old Nilesh Purohit, also called Neel or ‘The Ghost’.
Startling details have emerged in a detailed investigative report by a national daily.
The police caught him more than 20 days ago, the report reveals. They are still unraveling his operations.
The arrest almost failed. On November 16, a Gujarat Police team was traveling from Gandhinagar to Anand, about 100 km, when they got a tip. Purohit was in Ahmedabad.
The Airport police were warned not to let him board a flight. He was reportedly heading to Malaysia. The team reached the international terminal in time and arrested him. The police said, had they been a few minutes late, ‘The Ghost’ would have vanished again.
Purohit was sent to police remand in two cases. He is now in judicial custody at Sabarmati Central Jail.
He faces five FIRs, including human trafficking. Two FIRs are by the Gandhinagar Cyber Centre of Excellence. One by Surat City Police. One each by cyber cells in Maharashtra and West Bengal.
The CBI is also investigating him in at least two international cyber slavery cases. A day before his arrest, he allegedly sent a youth from Punjab to Cambodia.
The Cyber Centre of Excellence said Purohit sent over 500 citizens to cyber slavery. Countries included India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin, and Tunisia. Destinations were Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand, sometimes via Dubai.
The report details his past. Purohit is from Anand. His parents ran a catering business. He left studies after Class 12. He did not continue the family catering business. He tried a finance business, but it failed.
Early 2024, he went to Dubai. He got a job through an agent at Dubai Investment Park. The firm was allegedly involved in cybercrime.
He met Pakistani and Chinese agents there. They introduced him to global cyber slavery operations.
He wanted firsthand experience. He travelled to Thailand, then illegally entered Myanmar, and visited cyber fraud sites.
One of the sites was KK Park in Myanmar. It was run by a Chinese gang. The Myanmar army recently raided it. Many employees forced to work there escaped. The largest chunk were allegedly Indians.
In the last three years, India, with help from Thailand and Myanmar, brought back 4,000 citizens from camps like KK Park.
In the middle of last year, Purohit tested the route commonly used by traffickers. He flew to Bangkok, drove 450 km north to Tak City, hiked 15–20 km through the jungle, took a boat on the Moei or Thaungyin river, crossed into Myanmar, and hiked a short distance to KK Park in Myawaddy Township.
He stayed for a month at KK Park, learning operations. Inspector Manali Radadiya said he was successful almost immediately due to good relations with other agents.
He earned Rs 1.76–3.96 lakh per cyber slave. After paying 30–40% to sub-agents, he still earned well. Police believe he trafficked his first person from Gujarat to Myanmar in October 2024.
He used mule accounts and more than five Binance crypto wallets to manage money.
Once trapped, victims could not leave easily. At KK Park, they were forced to sign two-year contracts. Those who wanted out early had to pay Rs 3.5–5 lakh.
Purohit ran a base in Bangkok. He arranged tickets and logistics with Chinese agents.
The Cyber Centre of Excellence said he managed 126 sub-agents. They contacted more than 30 Pakistani agents. The network included over 100 Chinese and foreign companies.
He reached victims through WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram. Promised jobs, often data entry. Word-of-mouth helped the network grow.
At least 22 youths from Gujarat were directly trafficked. Others came from different states and abroad. Police are confirming names one by one.
Gujarat Police arrested six of his sub-agents in state cases.
Victims realised something was wrong only after reaching Bangkok. Passports were taken. They were driven to KK Park by armed agents.
Furthermore, they were forced into phishing, crypto scams, Ponzi schemes, and dating app fraud. Those who resisted faced physical and mental harassment. Many were too traumatized to file FIRs, so the state filed complaints on their behalf.
Purohit hid online as ‘Ghost’. Sub-agents eventually exposed him. Police arrested him before he could flee India.
Tips came from multiple sources. On November 5, Hitesh Arjan Somaiya of Porbandar was arrested for trafficking 12 youths. On November 13, Sonal Faldu was arrested based on victim statements.
Both sub-agents named Purohit as their superior. Victims also confirmed him. He had provided tickets to Thailand.
Gujarat Police are coordinating with other states that have cases against him.
Also Read: Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police Bust Fraud Network with Chinese Links https://www.vibesofindia.com/ahmedabad-cyber-crime-police-bust-fraud-network-with-chinese-links/
