Tarn Taran: Farmer loses Rs 45L to immigration fraud

Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, June 2

Chasing the American dream proved costly for Sukhjinder Singh (37) of Reshaina village here.

He not only lost Rs 45 lakh, which he had borrowed for paying fake travel agents, but also suffered physical and mental torture before returning.

FIR registered, one arrested

SSP Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said accused Sandeep Singh, his wife Kirandep Kaur, his mother Pritam Kaur, father Salwinder Singh and Sunny Kumar had been booked under the IPC and the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act. He said Salwinder had been arrested, while others were absconding.

He is not alone. Four other villagers also suffered the same fate.

Sukhjinder said that in September last year, Sandeep Singh of Bhail Dhae Wala village promised to send him to the US and a deal was settled at Rs 45 lakh. Sandeep asked him to give the amount after reaching Mexico.

Sukhjinder claimed Sandeep dropped him and Jobanpreet of his village at the Delhi airport on September 28 after handing over tickets to Indonesia, besides giving contact of his accomplice Kulwinder Singh there. He said when they reached Indonesia, Kulwinder Singh picked them up. Later, they found that his real name was Sunny Kumar. Sukhjinder said they were put up in a hotel and their passports were taken away. “Later, Sunny and an unidentified man took us to an undisclosed destination where eight armed persons thrashed us. We were chained and tortured. Our mobiles and USD 1,000 were snatched,” he said.

Sukhjinder alleged he was forced to call up his family to tell them that he had reached Mexico. He was directed to tell his family to give Rs 45 lakh to Sandeep Singh.

The family transferred the amount to bank accounts of Sandeep in India. The duo was released at a secluded place and given their passports. Prabhjit Singh of same village alleged that the accused had duped him of Rs 25 lakh.

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