Kapurthala, 21 February 2025 — Kapurthala police have registered a case against two travel agents after a deportee from the United States accused them of fraud, officials said.
The accused, Sukhwinder Singh of Lakhan Ke Padde and Lakhi Singh of Kishan Singhwala, have been booked under human trafficking and fraud-related charges, including Sections 143, 318(4), and 62(2) of the BNS, along with Section 24 of the Emigration Act, at Dhilwan police station.
Nishan Singh, a 20-year-old from Chakoki village, filed the complaint after being deported on February 15.
“They promised me a direct route to the US but first sent me to France, then Suriname, and finally to Mexico via Panama. My family was blackmailed and forced to pay more,” he alleged.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora confirmed an investigation is underway, with police coordinating with the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“The accused will be arrested soon. We urge other deportees to come forward and report such agents,” Toora said.
The SIT, probing illegal immigration networks, has recently registered five more FIRs against travel agents in Tarn Taran, SAS Nagar, Moga, and Sangrur.
Investigators found these agents charged large sums for legal routes but ultimately subjected victims to dangerous conditions, detention, and deportation.
The crackdown intensified after the US deported 333 Indian immigrants this month. The first batch of 104 arrived on February 5, followed by 117 on February 15 and 112 the next day. Most deportees were from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
Read More: Mohali Travel Agents Booked Again for Immigration Fraud
