Mumbai: A 22-year-old chef has accused a hotel management student, Rishabh Sonkar, of cheating him and a co-worker of Rs 5.55 lakh by promising higher-paying hotel jobs abroad before sending them to Laos, where a Chinese company allegedly confiscated their passports and forced them into online fraud for three months. Sahar police registered an FIR on Thursday on a complaint by Rohit Semwal (22). Sonkar has not been arrested, and police are investigating how many others were similarly duped and forced to work for Chinese fraudsters.
He booked Thai Lion Air tickets from Mumbai to Bangkok for March 25, 2025.
Sonkar initially gave Semwal an offer letter purportedly from Swissotel The Bosphorus, Istanbul, but later said he would arrange jobs in Thailand. On Sonkar’s instructions, they took a domestic flight to Bokeo, where an agent took them to a Chinese company for an interview,” said a police officer. Semwal said Sonkar had assured them of jobs as chefs in a five-star hotel overseas with higher salaries. The two had been made to work at a call-centre operation allegedly run by Chinese fraudsters,” said the police.
“After they reached Bangkok, Semwal received tickets to Vientiane, Laos, through WhatsApp. Semwal alleged the company retained their passports and compelled them to participate in scamming and other illegal activities instead of providing kitchen jobs. Unable to leave without their passports, they eventually managed to reach Indian Embassy in Vientiane and were sent back to India after sustained efforts. “After returning to India, Semwal and Bisht sought repayment, but Sonkar allegedly threatened them and refused to return their money.