A single cyber fraud complaint filed by an individual in Odisha has served as the key that unlocked a massive international human trafficking and financial crime syndicate, leading to a coordinated crackdown by central agencies and the rescue of thousands of Indian citizens from forced “cyber-slavery” in Southeast Asia.
The catalyst for this national-level operation was a First Information Report (FIR) lodged with the Rourkela Police Cyber Cell in late December 2023. A senior government officer had reported losing ₹67.70 lakh to a fake stock market investment app named “INDIRA Securities.” What initially appeared to be a routine online financial fraud case quickly broadened into an investigation of transnational organized crime.
The Network Unraveled: From Rourkela to Cambodia
The Odisha police’s meticulous tracking of the money trail and technical data led them directly to the heart of the operation: vast, heavily guarded building complexes in Cambodia. Authorities discovered that these “cyber-crime corporations,” primarily run by Chinese nationals, were staffed by thousands of young, computer-literate Indians lured abroad with false promises of lucrative IT or marketing jobs.
The reality for the victims was brutal: passports confiscated, movement restricted, and being forced to work 13 to 15 hours a day running sophisticated online scams against fellow Indians. These crimes included “pig butchering” crypto-romance fraud, fake investment schemes, and highly alarming “digital arrest” cons, where victims posed as law enforcement officials.
Key Arrest and Legal Action
The Rourkela investigation achieved a major breakthrough with the coordinated arrest of Devendra Pratap Mourya on December 29, 2024, in Uttar Pradesh.
Mourya, a 35-year-old graduate, was a central figure who had ascended the ranks to become a team leader and a prime recruitment agent for the Cambodian racket.
His arrest was a joint effort between the Rourkela Police, the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Odisha’s Crime Branch, and the Uttar Pradesh Police, leveraging a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Police confirmed Mourya is linked to over 500 cybercrime cases across India.
Recent Developments: An Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis
As the investigation continues to unfold, the Indian government is dealing with the immense scale of the humanitarian crisis:
Mass Rescues: The government recently informed Parliament that over 6,700 Indian citizens have been rescued to date from “cyber-slavery” compounds in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lao PDR.
CBI Targets Global Masterminds: Just yesterday, on December 11, 2025, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against 13 individuals in a major “digital arrest” fraud case. The CBI’s technical analysis confirmed that the financial flow and the scam compounds themselves are controlled by masterminds based in Cambodia, Hong Kong, and China, officially identifying the region as a major hub for organized financial crimes.
Myanmar Hub: The CBI’s findings specifically highlight “slave compounds” in Myanmar, particularly the notorious KK Park in Myawaddy, as emerging incubators for the execution of these frauds, where trafficked Indian nationals are coerced into call-center-style operations.
The initial probe in Rourkela has thus provided the domestic law enforcement framework necessary to combat this transnational threat, leading to ongoing diplomatic and legal efforts to dismantle the entire crime syndicate.