Two travel fraud cases registered

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 20

Two cases of travel fraud were registered on Friday here. This year, nine cases under the Immigration Act have been registered in the district so far. Many cases of travel fraud under Section 420 of the IPC have been registered against those who duped people who wanted to go abroad.

A city resident has duped a Ludhiana resident of Rs 10 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad.

In a complaint lodged by Harmander Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, he stated that accused Surjeet Singh, a resident of Chandsar Basti in Bathinda, had cheated him of Rs 10 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. He said after receiving the money, the accused neither sent him abroad nor did he return his money.

A case under Section of 420 of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act has been registered against the accused at the Civil Lines police station.

In another incident, a resident of Multania Road in the city was duped of Rs 3.50 lakh on the pretext of sending his son to Malaysia.

In a complaint lodged by Swaranpal Singh with the police, he said accused Bhalwinder Singh, a resident of Sukhpeer Road, had cheated him of Rs 3.50 lakh on the pretext of sending his son Arshdeep Singh and Pardeep Singh to Malaysia on work permit. After getting the money, the accused neither sent them to abroad nor did he returned their money.

A case under Section 420 of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act has been registered against the accused at the Canal Colony police station. However, no arrests have been made so far in both cases.

Cases relating to travel fraud are on the rise in the region. Most of the victims lost a considerable amount of money they had gathered either by selling their land, working overtime or taking loans. In spite of them approaching the police, there is hardly any chance of getting their money back.

Police officials say the proliferation of unregistered immigration consultants in the region in the past few years and lack of awareness among public have led to an increase in the immigration fraud-related cases.