Social media influencer Bobby Kataria in 3-day remand, cops suspect links with International gang

Sanjay Yadav

Gurugram, May 28

Social media influencer Balwant, alias Bobby Kataria, who was arrested in a case of human trafficking and fraud, has been sent to three-day police remand after he was produced in the city court on Tuesday.

The police have recovered Rs 20 lakh in cash, some documents and four phones from his possession.

A senior police officer said Kataria was allegedly involved in a big nexus of human traffickers since last year and may had links with an international gang. Preliminary probe revealed that Kataria cheated several unemployed youth on the pretext of aiding them in securing jobs abroad.

Police sources said a Chinese company in South Asia would put the youth under house arrest and then train them to dupe American nationals. Although it is yet to be confirmed, it is being said that more than 50 youths were sent abroad through Bobby Kataria in one year.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday had arrested five persons after conducting searches in six states/UTs in joint operations with the local police in a case of human trafficking, involving forced cybercrimes.

Based on the NIA’s tip-off, the Gurugram police had arrested Kataria from his office at Conscient-One mall, Sector 109, Gurugram, on Monday.

A senior police officer said foreign transactions had also taken place through Kataria’s office account. The police is seeking NIA’s help to know about the amount and other details of companies, from which money would be transferred into Kataria’s account. Sources reveal that the NIA could take Bobby for questioning at any time.

According to the complaint filed by Arun Kumar, a native of Fatehpur, and Manish Tomar, native of Dholana village in Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh, both of them were seeking jobs. They got in touch with Kataria through an advertisement on Instagram about jobs abroad.

Kataria took over Rs 4 lakh from the victim and sent them to Laos, where they were thrashed. The accused’s associates there allegedly took away their passports and forced them to commit cyber fraud.