Deportation from US: Five more FIRs registered against travel agents, two arrested

Chandigarh: A special investigation team probing human trafficking cases has registered five FIRs against travel agents for allegedly facilitating illegal travel from Punjab to foreign countries and arrested two accused, officials said on Wednesday.

The FIRs were registered in multiple districts, including Tarn Taran, SAS Nagar, Moga and Sangrur, on February 17 and 18. Two travel agents -- Angrej Singh and Jagjit Singh -- have been arrested by the Sangrur Police. This is in addition to the arrest made by Police Station NRI, Patiala, a few days ago.

With this, a total of 15 FIRs have been filed so far while the arrest count has reached three.

In three deportation flights that arrived in India since February 5, Punjab residents total 126 of the 333 illegal Indian immigrants sent back from the US, followed by 110 from neighbouring Haryana and 74 from Gujarat.

According to officials, the accused, operating through unauthorised networks, have been found charging hefty amounts from victims by promising safe and legal immigration routes, but have been exposing them to travel by 'dunki' routes in inhumane conditions, detention and eventual deportation.

One of the FIRs registered at Patti police station in Tarn Taran against an agent operating from Chandigarh and Yamuna Nagar stated that he fraudulently took Rs 44 lakh from a victim promising that he would facilitate immigration to the US legally but took him to that country through Nicaragua and Mexico.

Another FIR registered at Majri police station in SAS Nagar against agents Mukul and Gurjinder Antaal said they took Rs 45 lakh from a victim and sent him to US borders via Colombia and Mexico.

In yet another FIR registered at Dharamkot police station in Moga, Sukhwinder Singh, Talwinder Singh, Pritam Kaur, Gurpreet Singh and members of Ekam Travels, Chandigarh, lured a victim with a false work permit and direct USA flight for Rs 45 lakh.

Instead, they sent him via Prague, Spain, and El Salvador, the FIR stated.

The special investigation team of the Punjab Police is coordinating with cybercrime units, financial authorities and central agencies to resolve the identities of the entire network of human traffickers.

Director General of Police Punjab Gaurav Yadav reiterated that the Punjab Police is fully committed to dismantling these fraudulent immigration syndicates. He urged victims to come forward and assured them of strict legal action against culprits.