Travel agent arrested for duping 2 persons

Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, February 28

The local police have arrested a travel agent for allegedly duping two persons on the pretext of sending them abroad. The suspect has been identified as Parveen, a resident of Mumbai.

The complainants, Pardeep Kumar and Sukhjeet Singh, told the police that they had seen an advertisement in a newspaper, in which the suspects had promised to secure a work permit for Hong Kong. Both met the agent in 2016 at a hotel in Zirakpur. They gave Rs 50,000 each to the suspect.

The complainant alleged that later the suspect told them that he could not help them go Hong Kong but might arrange a work permit for China. Both refused the offer. The suspect then told them that he could help them go Australia via a sea route illegally and demanded Rs 4 lakh each. Again believing him, the suspect agreed and paid the amount.

The police said the suspect sent the complainants to Chennai and then to Andaman & Nicobar through ship. Upon reaching there, they asked the agent to arrange a visa for Australia but the suspect started giving hollow assurances. Feeling cheated, they returned from Andaman & Nicobar and lodged a complaint with the police.