Duped by fake travel agent, harassed man returns home

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, June 2

With dreams of a prosperous future in mind, Sukhjinder Singh alias Sukh (37), a resident of Reshiana village who owns just one and a half kanal of agricultural land, was so lured by fake travel agents that he not only lost his land but also went under a debt of Rs 50 lakh. He also suffered from mental tension and depression.

In September last, Sukhjinder was lured by his close relative Sandeep Singh, a resident of Bhail Dhae Wala that he would send him to the USA within a week. The deal was settled for Rs 45 lakh though the fake travel agent had demanded Rs 50 lakh. To assure his client, Sandeep assured him that he would take the money after his arrival in Mexico. Sandeep remained in touch with Sukhjinder regularly telling him to be ready with bag and baggage along with the US currency. Jobanjit Singh, a resident of his own village Bhail Dhae Wala, dropped him at Delhi airport in his Fortuner on September 29 with a ticket for Indonesia. Sukhjinder was given the cell phone number of someone to be contacted there.

On reaching Indonesia, they contacted the said person who introduced himself as Kulwinder Singh Bali. He was later identified by his real name Sanni Kumar Sanni, a resident of Indonesia who originally belonged to Hoshiarpur district in Punjab. Sanni instructed them to reach a hotel in Indonesia where they could stay for five days. Sanni reached the hotel the same night and took their fingerprints and passport etc. He assured them that they would be sent to Mexico soon.

They remained in touch with Sandeep Singh in India who was guiding them. The same day in the evening, Sanni along with unidentified persons came to their hotel and took them to some undisclosed destination which turned out to be the residence of a Pakistani who was introduced as an Immigration Officer. Sanni asked Sukhjinder and Jobanpreet Singh to bring their passports for tickets.

They were sitting in the room when seven to eight unidentified persons with pistols in their hands detained them at gunpoint and beat them up severely. They were given third degree torture, chained and given electric shocks. Their mobile phones were taken along with the 1,000 dollars they were carrying.

There were two more per sons detained already. Till October 23 (23 days), they used to be tortured daily physically and mentally and kept chained day and night.

The family of Sukhjinder Singh transferred Rs 45 lakh in the bank accounts of Sandeep Singh in India.

They were given Rs 1,000 and their passports were released. They arranged tickets for Mumbai and reached home.

Sukhjinder Singh said the network of fake travel agents was equally strong in the area. Somehow, they lodged a complaint with the SSP, Tarn Taran, on February 4 and a case was registered on June 1.

SSP Gurmeet singh Chauhan said the accused Sandeep Singh, his wife Kirandep Kaur, mother Pritam Kaur Prito, father Salwinder Singh, a resident of Bhail Dhae Wala and Sanni, originally a resident of Hoshiarpur had been booked under Section 420, 406, 370, 506 and 120-B of IPC and Section 13 of Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012. The SSP said police teams had been dispatched to arrest the accused.

Sukhjinder Singh said he had become mentally disturbed too.

In Reshiana village, there were four more victims of fake travel agents identified as Jaswinder Singh, Prabhjeet Singh, Harpreet Singh and Navdeep Singh.

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