SC denies pre-arrest bail to ‘dunki’ agent: ‘People like you devalue Indian passport’

The Supreme Court on Monday denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of duping another individual under the pretext of sending him to the US via the illegal “donkey route,” stating that such activities tarnish the reputation of Indian passports globally.

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A Bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyyan and Manmohan came down heavily on the accused, saying, “Because of people like you, Indian passport is devalued.”

The court noted that such unscrupulous acts by a few individuals have severely damaged the international standing of the Indian passport. “These actions bring disrepute to the country and violate human dignity,” the Bench observed, terming the allegations against the accused as “very serious.”

The case relates to Om Prakash, a resident of Haryana, who is alleged to have been an accomplice of the main accused. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier denied him anticipatory bail, prompting him to approach the apex court.

According to the FIR, Om Prakash and his associate allegedly promised to send the complainant to the US through legal means after collecting Rs43 lakh. Instead, they routed the victim through multiple countries under dire and dangerous circumstances.

The complainant was initially flown to Dubai in September 2024, and subsequently trafficked through several countries, including a perilous route through the forests of Panama, before reaching Mexico. On February 1, 2025, the victim was forced to cross into the US illegally, where he was promptly arrested by US authorities, jailed, and eventually deported to India on February 16, 2025.