Navy Officer Among Four Arrested in South Korea Trafficking Case

A Lieutenant Commander in the Indian Navy has been arrested for allegedly trafficking people to South Korea using forged documents. The Mumbai Crime Branch has detained five individuals, including Lieutenant Commander Vipin Kumar Dagar, who was apprehended in Colaba on Thursday.

According to officials, Dagar was acting under the instructions of Sub-Lieutenant Braham Jyoti Sharma, also from the Navy. Sharma, identified as the mastermind, was arrested in Lonavala. The gang reportedly sent 8-10 people to South Korea with fake papers, charging Rs 10 lakh per case.

Arrests and Roles

Simran Teji, another suspect, was arrested in Pune. She is said to be a close associate of Sharma and managed the crime's proceeds through her bank accounts. Ravi Kumar and Deepak Dogra were detained in Jammu and Kashmir. They are expected to be presented in court once brought to Mumbai.

Dagar, originally from Haryana and the son of an air force officer, has been remanded in police custody until July 5. He prepared the forged documents and sent them to the Korean Consulate. The Indian Navy has stated it will fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in this case.

Further Investigation

The MRA police station has filed a case against the five individuals for cheating and forgery under the Indian Penal Code and the Passport Act. An official mentioned that further investigation is ongoing.

Kumar had plans to travel to South Korea on a visa obtained through these forged documents. Dogra's role involved overseeing the operation and identifying potential targets seeking work visas abroad.

"The Indian Navy said on Saturday it would fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the case."

The Mumbai Crime Branch continues its investigation into this human trafficking ring. The authorities are working to uncover more details about their operations and any additional suspects involved.