Amid a series of incidents of 'trafficked' women returning home (Punjab) in the recent past after being rescued from Oman, Punjab police suspect the use of cryptocurrency in the scam to evade the financial trail.
The head of the Punjab Bureau of Investigation has now written to the head of the special investigation team (SIT) investigating returnee cases from Oman to further investigate whether cryptocurrency was used in international transactions while illegally smuggling women abroad.
The Bureau of Inquiry has written to the Protector General for Emigrants to carry out a campaign "to raise awareness of the practices and modus operandi being adopted by unauthorized agents to recruit labor from India."
Women from Punjab 'trafficked' to Oman were largely alleged to have been driven into slavery.
A Punjab Police SIT was set up last month after several women were lured to the Gulf countries (Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Muscat in Oman, etc.) with the false promise of a job and good money where they were allegedly sold into slavery (to work as domestic help in Oman without pay).
The SIT's initial investigation has revealed that of the 23 cases it analyzed in recent months, five women did not press for any cases to be registered against the travel agents in question. FIRs were registered in the remaining 18 complaints. The women complainants largely said they were 'sold out', forced to work as 'domestic help' in Oman without pay and subjected to inhumane treatment.
The investigation underlines that among the victims were those who returned with the "white passport", one of the most powerful passports issued by India, mainly diplomatic in nature and allowing preferential treatment to the holder, usually a government official.
Out of 18 FIRs, five were registered in Ferozepur district, four in Hoshiarpur district, two in each Ludhiana (Rural), Tarn Taran and jalandhar (Rural), and one in Bathinda, Nawanshahr and Moga.
Seven defendants have been arrested in these cases. Five of those women who returned from abroad did not want any action.
They include two from Jalandhar (Rural) and one each from the police districts of Ferozepur, Moga and Ludhiana (Rural). Punjab Police has started the process to issue circular care (LOC) in at least four cases against defendants, including women who are allegedly involved in this human trafficking.
speaking to the indian expressPunjab Investigation Bureau, ADGP chief Lakshmee Kant Yadav said: โAnti Human Trafficking Units are being strengthened to place a digital monitoring system in Punjab to reduce the activities of organized (human) smugglers. for ulterior motives." Punjab police were targeting cryptanalyzers in coordination with the Protector of Emigrants, the ADGP added.
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