Ranchi woman held captive in Dubai after being lured with job; family seeks return

A 37-year-old woman from Ranchi has allegedly been held captive in Dubai after being lured abroad with a promise of a nursing job, with her family accusing agents of fraud, human trafficking, forced labour and extortion.

An FIR was registered on September 29 at Ranchi Airport police station based on a complaint filed by the woman's mother. The family has approached the Ministry of External Affairs and Ranchi administration seeking help to bring Monica Kachhap back to India safely.

According to the complaint, Monica was allegedly promised a job, food and accommodation abroad after she came in contact online with AMD Trend Solution LLC and an agent identified as Priyanka.WOMAN PAID RS 5,000 TO AGENT

The FIR states that Monica transferred Rs 5,000 through PhonePe to an account provided by Priyanka on April 22. She was allegedly told that the agency would arrange her further travel and flight tickets.

Monica left from Delhi airport for Sharjah on May 5 and reached Sharjah the next day. According to the complaint, the driver of a vehicle allegedly sent by the agency took possession of her original passport after she arrived.

On May 7, she was allegedly taken to the agency's office in Ajman, where two men identified as Ritesh and Mohammad Meraj Ansari allegedly made her sign documents written in Arabic and take thumb impressions.

The family said Monica does not understand Arabic and therefore could not understand the contents of the documents.‘FORCED TO WORK IN DIFFERENT HOUSES’

According to the FIR, Monica's phone was allegedly taken away and her WhatsApp conversations with Priyanka deleted. She was later allegedly told through a video call that she had taken a loan of 2,600 dirhams and was threatened with imprisonment if the amount was not repaid by May 25.

Her mother has alleged that Monica was taken to Mohammad Meraj Ansari's house, where she was kept in a captive-like situation for nearly a month and forced to sweep, mop, wash utensils and clean bathrooms.

The complaint further alleges that on June 22, Monica was sent to a house to work as a caregiver without a valid work permit. She was allegedly brought back to the agency office the following day because she could not understand the language.

The family has alleged that she was again sent to different houses for work in July, where she faced mental harassment because of the language barrier.FAMILY SEEKS MEA HELP FOR SAFE RETURN

Monica's family has alleged that she was deceived into travelling to Dubai and is now facing difficulties with food, accommodation and basic living conditions. A neighbour told local media that she spoke to Monica over the phone on Thursday morning and that she had been repeatedly describing her difficulties and asking for help to return home.

Her parents have sought the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Jharkhand government for her safe return. The family had also met the Ranchi deputy commissioner, who assured them of assistance.

The matter was reportedly brought to the family's attention after it was discussed in the village gram sabha, following which neighbours and villagers supported her parents in approaching the police.FAMILY ALLEGES RS 3.5 LAKH DEMAND

Monica's father, Ratna Kachhap, has alleged that his daughter was made to sign documents in Arabic soon after reaching Dubai and that she was told the documents related to a dirham loan she had supposedly taken.

The family maintains that Monica never took such a loan. According to her father, the family was subsequently told to pay around Rs 3.5 lakh before she could return to India.

The family has named Priyanka, Ritesh, Mohammad Meraj Ansari and other managers of AMD Trend Solution LLC in its complaint. Police have registered the FIR and begun an investigation.

Monica had completed a three-and-a-half-year nursing course in Ranchi. Her family, which depends largely on agriculture and faces financial hardship, had hoped that she would secure a nursing job abroad and improve their economic circumstances.

The case has now been brought to the attention of the MEA, with the family seeking urgent intervention to secure Monica's safe return.- Ends

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