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Journalism of Courage
Controversial social media influencer Bobby Kataria found himself embroiled in yet another scandal as Gurgaon Police took him into custody on Monday on charges of alleged human trafficking.
Two men lodged complaints with the Gurugram police, alleging that Kataria had deceived them of over Rs 4 lakh under the pretext of facilitating overseas employment opportunities.
What is the case against him?
Two men from Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, claim they were tricked by Bobby Kataria, who promised to help them find jobs in the UAE. They gave him Rs 4-5 lakh, but instead of going to the UAE, they were taken to a different Asian country. There, they say they were forced to work in a fake call center for three days, scamming people.
They managed to escape and sought help from the Indian embassy to return home. Following their complaint, an FIR was registered against Kataria who was then arrested from his office in Gurugram.
Their trouble started when they saw an ad on Instagram, supposedly offering jobs abroad. The ad was posted on Kataria’s official Instagram and YouTube accounts. They contacted him and were told to meet him at his office in a Gurugram mall, which led to their ordeal.
Who is Bobby Kataria?
Hailing from Haryana’s Basai village, Kataria is the founder of the Yuva Ekta Foundation, an NGO situated in Gurgaon.
His LinkedIn profile states that he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and is also an All-Time Events and State Record-holding powerlifter.
Kataria has an Instagram following of over 3.5 lakh, but both his Instagram and YouTube accounts are currently disabled. Several Facebook videos depict him discussing a job offer in Russia, as well as showcasing purported Canada visas he secured for his clients.
In 2022, he faced an FIR for allegedly posting obscene remarks about a woman on social media and issuing threats against her.
That same year, Kataria was apprehended by the Delhi Police for smoking inside an airplane.
Additionally, a Dehradun court issued a non-bailable warrant against him after he shared a video wherein he was seen consuming alcohol in public and obstructing a road.
