Pune: A 28-year-old woman from Nagpur has alleged that she was trafficked to Portugal and sold to a beer shop owner for prostitution after being promised a well-paying supermarket job abroad by a placement firm operating from Phoenix Marketcity in Viman Nagar.
The woman, who managed to escape and return to India, has now approached the Pune Police and lodged a complaint with the Viman Nagar Police Station. Police have registered a case against seven persons, including four allegedly based in Pune and three in Portugal.
The accused have been identified as Pratima Bhati, Amit Kumar Jha, Azhar Sheikh and Kapil Mishra, all residents of Pune, along with Vamsi, Chaitanya and Himmat Singh, all reportedly residing in Portugal.
According to the police, the alleged offences took place between December 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026 at an office identified as UG-5 at Phoenix Marketcity, East Court, Clover Park, Viman Nagar, and at various locations in Portugal.
Saw video on Instagram
The complainant had been searching for employment opportunities on Instagram when she came across a video posted on the Instagram page of a company called We Migrate. The video reportedly showed people celebrating after obtaining foreign visas. After contacting the company, she was called to Pune, where she allegedly met Pratima Bhati, Azhar Sheikh and Kapil Mishra.
Bhati allegedly told her that the company had sent candidates to countries including the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Denmark and Poland for jobs such as chocolate factory workers, supermarket cashiers and accountants. She was allegedly promised a monthly salary of around ₹1.5 lakh, an eight-hour workday, two weekly holidays and a three-year work permit.
The woman was told that the total cost of securing the overseas job would be ₹11 lakh. She subsequently paid the amount in instalments, according to her complaint.
On March 24, 2026, she was allegedly called to the Pune office on the pretext of celebrating her successful overseas job placement. She was made to sign job-related documents but was not provided copies of them, she alleged.
Travelled to Portugal
She eventually travelled from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi and then to Madrid, Spain, arriving there on May 21. She was allegedly told that a man named Vamsi would pick her up. According to the complaint, Vamsi deliberately delayed picking her up, causing her to miss the bus to Portugal. She eventually reached Portugal around midnight on another bus.
Chaitanya, reportedly a friend of Vamsi, picked her up and took her to the house of Himmat Singh, where her passport was allegedly taken away. She claimed she was confined to a room for two days and was released only after paying ₹40,000.
She was subsequently allegedly told that she would be taken to Odemira, where she would stay until her college admission and student TRC formalities were completed and would work as a supermarket cashier.
Sent to work at beer shop
However, according to her complaint, she was taken to a house where two other women, one from Rajasthan and another from Haryana, were already staying. On May 26, the house owner allegedly sent her to work at his beer shop instead of the promised supermarket job.
When she informed Anil Kumar, who was allegedly involved in the arrangement, about the situation, she was reportedly told to "adjust" until her student TRC was obtained.
The situation allegedly took a more serious turn on June 27, when the beer shop owner sent her to work at his house. She alleged that Anil Kumar then called her and told her that she would have to impress and keep the owner happy "in every way."
When the owner learned that she had spoken to Anil Kumar, he allegedly became angry and told her that he had paid Pratima Bhati and her associates money to acquire her. He allegedly told her that she had not been sent there for employment and would have to do whatever he ordered and keep him satisfied.
The woman claimed that the two other women staying with her confirmed that she would be forced into prostitution in the owner's direction.
Came back to India
Fearing for her safety, she contacted her husband and informed him about the alleged trafficking. She escaped from the location at around 3am on June 29 and travelled by bus to Zambujeira do Mar before reaching Lisbon and later Madrid. She reportedly spent a night at a bus stop before staying at a hostel.
She then travelled by air from Madrid to Doha and subsequently to Delhi, before returning to Nagpur with her husband.
Even after her return to India, the alleged accused continued to threaten her. According to the complaint, Pratima Bhati asked her to send her passport, while Anil Kumar allegedly demanded ₹3 lakh, promising to arrange a job for her in Malta. He allegedly threatened to file a molestation case against her husband or kill him if the money was not paid.
Lodged complaint
The woman did not immediately approach the police, citing her disturbed mental state and the alleged threats. She later came to Pune and met officers from the Crime Branch, following which the matter was reported to the Viman Nagar Police Station.
Police have registered a case against the seven accused and are investigating the alleged human trafficking, cheating, confinement, threats and exploitation. Further details are awaited as investigators probe the placement agency's operations and the alleged network in Portugal.
