Social Media Influencer Bobby Kataria Arrested on Human Trafficking Charges in Gurgaon

Social media personality and entrepreneur, Bobby Kataria, faced arrest by the Gurgaon Police following allegations of involvement in a human trafficking scheme. This development unfolded after two individuals from Fatehpur, , lodged complaints against Kataria, accusing him of swindling them of over Rs 4 lakh under false pretenses of arranging job opportunities abroad.

According to the complainants, Bobby Kataria enticed them with promises of securing positions in the UAE. However, instead of being transported to the UAE as pledged, the victims found themselves in another unspecified Asian country. In this foreign land, they reported being coerced into operating a fraudulent call center for a span of three days, engaging in scams.

The accounts of these two individuals detail their harrowing experience, which led them to seek assistance from the Indian embassy for repatriation to . Subsequent to their grievances, a formal complaint was filed against Bobby Kataria, resulting in his detainment from his place of business in Gurugram by law enforcement authorities.

The chain of events for the victims commenced upon encountering an advertisement on Instagram advertising overseas job opportunities. This ad was associated with Bobby Kataria’s official Instagram and YouTube handles. Entranced by the promise of lucrative jobs abroad, the victims reached out to Kataria and arranged to meet him at his office located within a Gurugram shopping mall, setting off a series of unfortunate events for them.

Bobby Kataria, born Balwant Singh Kataria, is a prominent figure in social media, bodybuilding, and entrepreneurship hailing from Basai village in Haryana. Renowned as the founder of the Yuva Ekta Foundation, a non-governmental organization situated in Gurugram, Kataria boasts academic qualifications in the field of Law and a flourishing career as a powerlifter, having clinched multiple state records and event titles.

With a substantial following on Instagram exceeding 3.5 lakh, Bobby Kataria’s online presence has been influential in various spheres; however, both his Instagram and YouTube platforms are presently inactive. Earlier media content showcases him promoting job prospects in Russia and exhibiting purported Canadian visas secured for clientele.

Kataria’s past includes legal entanglements, such as an FIR lodged in 2022 over social media posts containing vulgar language and threats towards a woman. Similarly, he was apprehended by the Delhi Police the same year for smoking aboard an aircraft. Furthermore, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him by a court in Dehradun after he shared a video displaying public alcohol consumption and causing disruptions on a thoroughfare.