Gurugram: NIA takes over probe in Bobby Kataria case

Kulwinder Sandhu

Gurugram, June 24

With investigations transferred to the NIA in the human trafficking case against social media influencer Bobby Kataria and his associates, the agency is planning to seek his police remand.

Hearing on June 28

After conclusion of Bobby Kataria’s judicial custody, he will be produced in the NIA special court in Panchkula on June 28, the next date of hearing

He was booked by the NIA, along with an alleged accomplice, Ankit Shokin, on June 13 under various Sections of the IPC and the Emigration Act. After registering the case, the NIA moved an application before a local court, seeking permission to take over the investigation and demanding all record pertaining to the case from the Gurugram police. The court directed the police to hand over the record pertaining to Kataria, on the basis of which he was arrested.

On June 11, the Ministry of Home Affairs, exercising powers under sub-section 5 of Section 6, read with Section 8 of the NIA Act, 2008, issued orders to the NIA to take over the investigation.

While issuing the orders, the ministry observed, “The Central government is of the opinion that a scheduled offence under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, has been committed and having regard to the gravity of the offence and its international linkages, it is required to be investigated by the NIA in accordance with the NIA Act 2008.” A senior NIA official revealed that a DSP of the NIA, posted at Chandigarh, has been deputed as chief investigating officer in the case. Kataria has been accused of providing jobs to Indian youngsters abroad and then forcing them to work for cyber con in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Ankit Shokin, who lived in Laos, opened call centres and forced youths to work in his call centre by taking away their passports, other documents and money.

Kataria’s name figured in trafficking after Arun Kumar, a job aspirant from UP’s Gopalganj, was rescued, among other youngsters, from Laos with the help of the Indian Embassy earlier this year.

Kataria also opened a company, MBK Global Consultancy, in Singapore, which was also allegedly involved in trafficking of Indian youths. He also runs branch offices of his company in Gurugram, Faridabad, Sikar (Rajasthan) and Nabha (Punjab).