14 booked for immigration fraud

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 8

The Amritsar rural police have booked 14 persons, including four women, in five different cases for duping innocent people on the pretext of sending them abroad.

Pargat Singh of Mehnia Brahmna village and his friend Sarabjit Singh were duped allegedly by Paramjit Sigh of Dharmuchak village of Rs 1.8 lakh. They filed a complaint with the Mehta police in July last year. Now, the police have registered a case under Sections 420, 465, 468 and 471 of the IPC against him.

Similarly, Nirmal Singh, Vijua Kumar and three others of Ram Diwali Hindua village in Kathunangal have been defrauded allegedly by Sandeep Singh of Riar village and Harwinder Singh of Batala town (Gurdaspur) under the same offence. The two accused even provided them fake visa and tickets. They too have been booked.

In another case, the Beas police booked Lakhwinder Singh, his sister Neetu, mother Gindo and Sukhdev Singh, all residents of Ghuman village in Batala for duping Iqbal Singh and his brother of Sathiala village on the pretext of getting them permanent work visa. The accused took Rs 6 lakh for sending them to Singapore. They alleged that they were not returning their money.

Kuldeep Singh and his wife Kuldeep Kaur, both residents of Jaspal village, have been booked by Tarsikka police for cheating with Gurjoban Singh of Tarsikka. Gurjoban had lodged a complaint with the rural police in April last year while alleging that the accused took Rs 16 lakh from him for helping him get a Canadian work visa. He said the accused gave a cheque to him which was returned by the bank concerned.

The Tarsikka police have also booked Parveen Singh, his father Hardyal Singh, Davinde Kaur, Anju, all residents of Muchhal village, besides Resham Singh of Tangra for allegedly duping Tajinderpal Singh of Bhaindbandesha village. He stated to the police that the accused took Rs 16.8 lakh for sending him to Singapore.

Amritsar rural SSP Parampal Singh said more such cases would be registered against travel agents who were defrauding people in the name of sending them abroad.

It is worth mentioning here that Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has assured External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of appropriate action against those travel agents who have been accused of fraudulently sending people abroad.