Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Cyber Center of Excellence has arrested international cyber-crime operative Nilesh (Neel) Purohit, described by senior officials as the alleged mastermind of a large cyber-slavery and human-trafficking network spread across multiple Asian countries. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi said the Cyber Center has “exposed a massive international network involved in human trafficking and cyber fraud,” adding that Purohit handled recruitment, trafficking routes, financial coordination, and cross-border activities. He has been remanded to police custody for 14 days. The development comes as the state moves forward with its ₹500-crore Cyber Center of Excellence project, intended to expand technological and manpower capabilities for citizen cybersecurity.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, following directives from CID Crime Director General Dr. K. L. N. Rao and DIG Parikshita Rathod. A team led by SP Dr. Rajdeep Singh Jhala, Sanjay Keshwala, and Vivek Bheda used advanced technical surveillance to track Purohit, who officials said was preparing to fly to Malaysia. He was arrested in Gandhinagar, and two associates, Hitesh Somaiya and Sonal Phaddu, were detained soon after. Subsequent actions led to the arrest of Bhavdeep Jadeja and Hardeep Jadeja.

According to investigators, Purohit headed a structured network that managed more than 126 sub-agents across various countries, maintained contact with over 30 Pakistani agents, and worked with more than 100 Chinese handlers linked to foreign scam centres. Officials said he facilitated the trafficking of more than 1,000 Indians to Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and that a Punjab resident had been sent to Cambodia even a day after the crackdown began. Investigators stated that Purohit frequently travelled to Dubai, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Iran while using vulnerable border zones and informal routes.

Officials said victims were contacted through Instagram, Telegram and Facebook with promises of well-paid data-entry jobs abroad. After reaching transit points, their passports were taken away and they were moved through illegal crossings, including the Moei River route into Myanmar’s KK Park in Myawaddy. Victims were then forced to work in scam centres carrying out phishing, crypto fraud, Ponzi schemes and online romance scams. Those who refused faced physical and psychological abuse. Investigators estimated that Purohit earned between $2,000 and $4,500 per trafficked individual and paid significant commissions to sub-agents while using mule accounts and multiple crypto wallets to move large amounts of money.

Coordinated rescue operations by authorities in India, Thailand and Myanmar, supported by military agencies, have brought back nearly 4,000 Indian citizens in recent years. Many of them identified Purohit as the main recruiter responsible for sending them into cyber-slavery compounds, strengthening the case that led to his arrest. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi described the development as “a historic achievement” and said the Cyber Center’s action had prevented many more citizens from being drawn into the trafficking network.