Mumbai: In a shocking case of deception, several young men who were promised well-paying jobs aboard ships in Dubai were instead trafficked and forced to work as manual laborers in Iran. The Amboli Police have registered a case of cheating against three individuals associated with a shipping company in Andheri.
The accused are linked to Crystal Shipping Management Pvt Ltd, based in Andheri West. The company had advertised overseas shipping jobs with attractive salaries. Ramashwar Gupta (25), a resident of Andheri, had applied for one such job and was called for an interview on September 21, 2024.
At the company’s office, Gupta met a man named Sohail, who introduced him to one Captain Mohit Chauhan. Chauhan assured Gupta of a job on a ship in Dubai with a monthly salary of ₹56,000. Gupta was asked to pay ₹5 lakh for the placement, starting with ₹50,000 in cash for a medical examination. After signing several documents and completing formalities, Gupta paid the remaining ₹4.5 lakh.
On December 17, 2024, Gupta was sent to Sharjah on a tourist visa. However, he was confined in a guest house along with 10–12 other Indian youths. On March 9, a middleman transported them to Iran. There, Gupta met another victim, Yash Chauhan (22), who had also been similarly duped.
In Iran, a local agent forced the youths to engage in manual labor, stating they had no choice. When Gupta and Yash refused, they managed to reach Shiraz Airport with the help of another agent. They were made to record a video stating they would not file any complaint against Crystal Shipping before being allowed to return.
Gupta contacted his family in India, who sent money for his return ticket. He and others managed to fly back to Mumbai. Upon returning, Gupta and Yash confronted Crystal Shipping in Mumbai, where they were allegedly threatened by Captain Mohit Chauhan, who warned them that a false molestation case would be filed against them if they approached the police.
Later, they met two more youths who had also been defrauded by the same firm. Collectively, the four were cheated out of ₹10.5 lakh. All four victims filed a complaint at Amboli Police Station. Based on their statements, police have booked Sohail, Mohit Chauhan, and a man named Siraj under sections 318(4), 351(2), 352, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is ongoing.
