NIA nabs two Haryana men in dunki route trafficking case

The National Investigation Agency has arrested two residents of Haryana in connection with a human trafficking racket linked to illegal immigration to the United States via the infamous "dunki" route, agency officials said here on Thursday.

According to an official, the two accused, Ravi Kumar and Gopal Singh, both from Karnal district, were taken into custody following a series of coordinated searches conducted on Thursday across four locations in Haryana and Punjab.

Two premises in Karnal, along with one location each in Yamunanagar (Haryana) and Gurdaspur (Punjab), were raided by NIA teams.

"Digital devices and other materials seized during the operation are being examined for additional evidence of the transnational conspiracy," the official said.

According to the official, the arrests are part of the case which is focused on a criminal syndicate that entices Indian nationals with false promises of legitimate travel to the US.

The probe revealed that Gopal Singh worked closely with key accused Jai Kumar and Ravi Kumar in orchestrating the illegal migration of multiple victims.

"Gopal allegedly arranged hotel bookings, managed travel plans and acted as an intermediary to collect payments from victims and their families," the officer said.

The case originates from the experience of Shubham Saini, a Naraingarh resident who was apprehended by US border authorities in January 2025 and subsequently deported to India.

In a complaint filed with the Naraingarh police, Saini described his harrowing journey through South and Central America, during which he was held captive and extorted multiple times. His family reportedly paid Rs 42 lakh in instalments to the smuggling network.

NIA officials confirmed that the investigation remains active and is now focused on uncovering the wider international links of the syndicate and identifying additional suspects involved in the trafficking operation.