Duped of Rs 15 lakh by travel agents, family in dire straits

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, June 24

Having lost Rs15 lakh to three Patiala-based travel agents, a family from Sangtiwala village faces uncertain future. The accused had sent their daughter to Bangkok on the pretext of arranging a Canadian work permit, but she had to return after a month’s stay.

She is staying away from home, fearing that the lenders will start demanding money after knowing about the fraud.

The Lehragaga police have registered a case under Sections 420, 506 and 120-B IPC and 24 of the Immigration Act against Gurdeep Singh, Gindri Singh and Guri of Patiala.

Sukhchain Singh, a relative of the victim, said: “After arranging money through loans from banks, relatives and money lenders, the family of Sarbjit Kaur (23), which is into farming, paid Rs15 lakh in cash to the accused. But she had to return after staying in Bangkok for a month. She is in Patiala and doesn’t want to go home.”

Sarbjit has done diploma in general nursing and midwifery (GNM) and was working in a Jalandhar hospital. In January, her friend introduced her to the accused, who promised to send her to Canada on work permit claiming that there is a high demand for nurses there. They had assured her that after a stay of around 15 days in Bangkok, she would get the work permit.

“I stayed in a hotel in Bangkok from March 7 to April 3, but when agents failed to get me a Canadian visa, I returned and demanded my money back. They again promised to send me to Canada through Malaysia, but sought another Rs21 lakh. I refused and lodged a complaint with the police. The agents are threatening me with dire consequences,” Sarbjit told The Tribune.

When contacted, ASI Major Singh refused to talk about the case.