JOIN USUS honeymoon dreams lead to jail
A newly-married couple from Uttar Pradesh, who wanted to go for honeymoon in the US, landed in jail after they gave fake documents to the US embassy to get non-immigrant visa, police said on Friday.
Lakhweer Singh, 26, and Swaranjeet Kaur, 25, had gone to the US embassy on Thursday to apply for visa. But instead of honeymooning at their dream location, they are cooling their heels behind bars.
The couple submitted fake documents to the US Embassy on January 19. They thought they would be able to hoodwink the strict verification process and get away without any trouble, police said.
But assistant registration security officer Anne M Brunn, who has a keen eye and can spot even the slightest attempt by applicants to bypass the registration process, caught the couple red-handed.
Police said that Brunn, who has been in the job for several years at the US Embassy, found the couple’s documents to be fake at first glance. It did not take her much time to conclude that the documents were not original.
When the couple was interviewed, they were exposed within no time and Brunn filed a complaint with Chanakyapuri police station.
Swaranjeet claimed she was working at the deputy commissioner’s office at Philibhit in UP, while Lakhweer claimed to be a businessman. When police looked into their background, it came to light that Lakhweer is a farmer in Pilibhit and Swaranjeet is unemployed.
Lakhweer told police that he and his wife wanted to go to the US but they did not have sufficient documents. Then the couple sought help of two travel agents to make fake documents.
“The agents, Kulwinder Singh and Satnam Singh, forged the documents to apply for visa. A bank statement, a fake leave certificate issued by the deputy commissioner of Pilibhit, tax documents and a registration certificate for VAT in UP have been recovered from the couple,” said a police officer.
After handing the fake documents to them in Green Park, the agents arranged for a four-wheeler to drop them at the US embassy, police said. They said the agents charged them a high fee. Police said the agents have charged the couple Rs 7 lakh to be paid after they get the visa. “A hunt is on to nab Kulwinder and Satnam, who are absconding after giving the fake documents,” said the officer.