Nagpur Woman Allegedly Trafficked to Portugal After Job Scam
A woman from Nagpur was allegedly trafficked to Portugal after paying ₹8 lakh for a job opportunity. Eight individuals have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, but no arrests have been made.
Key takeaways
- A woman from Nagpur has reported being trafficked to Portugal after paying ₹8 lakh for a job.
- Eight individuals, some based in Pune and others in Portugal, have been booked under human trafficking and related charges.
- The investigation is in its early stages, and no arrests have been made.
- The survivor paid for a job at a supermarket and was allegedly forced to work under duress in Portugal.
A Nagpur resident has reported being a victim of human trafficking after paying a significant sum for a promised job in Portugal. The woman allegedly paid ₹8 lakh to a Pune-based consultancy, "We Migrate," for employment at a supermarket. The investigation is in its initial phase, with authorities examining the survivor's account as the crime occurred abroad.
What Happened
The survivor, holding a B.Com Management degree, learned about the job opportunity on the Instagram page of "We Migrate" in November 2025. After contacting the company via WhatsApp in January 2026, she met a representative named Pratima. The agency quoted ₹11 lakh for a cashier position in Portugal, which included ₹8 lakh in fees and ₹3 lakh for travel, visa, and living expenses. The agency also assured that the survivor's husband could travel on a dependent visa after three months. The survivor stated she paid ₹1 lakh on the spot and provided personal documents. Further installments totaling ₹5 lakh were paid by March 24, 2026. She obtained a 90-day multiple-entry Schengen visa for France. After traveling to Madrid on April 17, 2026, she was allegedly taken to a hostel and later to the house of an individual named Himmat Singh. She claims her passport was confiscated, and she was asked to pay ₹40,000 for its return. The survivor reported being forced to work at a beer shop for 12 hours daily and also at a home, realizing she had been sold by the agency and its associates. She managed to contact her husband and subsequently left the location to reach Madrid.
Key Facts
- A woman from Nagpur reported being trafficked to Portugal after paying ₹8 lakh to "We Migrate" for a job.
- Eight individuals have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- The accused are identified as Pratima Bhati (40), Azhar Shaikh (28), Amit Kumar Jha (42), Kapil Mishra (45) from Pune, and Wamsi (25), Chaitanya (25), Himmat Singh (35), and Anilkumar (35) from Portugal.
- The survivor made initial contact in November 2025 and paid a total of ₹8 lakh in installments by March 24, 2026.
- The FIR was registered on August 5 at Pune Airport police station.
- Authorities have stated the investigation is in the primary stage, and no arrests have been made yet.
Background
The case involves allegations of human trafficking on the pretext of employment abroad. The FIR was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including sections related to wrongful confinement, trafficking, extortion, criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy. The survivor detailed how the agency presented documentation and testimonials from existing recruits to build credibility, including company licenses and work permits for various European countries.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
