US deportee accuses police of inaction against travel agents
Kapurthala’s 20-year-old Nishan Singh, who was deported from the US last month after enduring a six-month ordeal marked by starvation, torture and extortion, has accused the police of failing to act against two immigration agents, who defrauded him of Rs 35 lakh.
Nishan, a resident of Chakoki village, was among the second batch of deportees who arrived in India on February 16.
Despite lodging an FIR against the agents on February 18, Nishan claims that no arrests have been made and that the accused - Sukhjinder Singh Soni of Lakhan Ka Padde village and Lakhi of Kishan Singh Wala village in Kapurthala - continue to move freely. “I have provided all evidence to the police, but they are not taking the matter seriously. Instead of being arrested, these agents are threatening me for filing a complaint. I have visited the police station multiple times, hoping for justice and the return of my money, but nothing has been done,” he said.
The case was registered under Sections 318(4) (cheating) and 316(2) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the agents on February 19.
Nishan, who moved to France in 2022 at the age of 17 due to family issues, said he was promised a direct flight to the US from France and the entire cost was fixed for Rs 35 lakh. However, after reaching France, the agents cited unforeseen complications and delayed his travel and arranged his stay in France. His family later paid an additional Rs 4.5 lakh before the agents arranged his journey to the US in August 2024.
“Instead of a direct flight, I was taken through a dangerous route, eventually finding myself stranded in the Panama jungle, where I along with some other youngsters was at the mercy of human traffickers. We were beaten up, starved and subjected to electric shocks. Our phones were snatched and they kept demanding more money. We had to find our way to the police on our own,” he recalled.
He said, on January 23, he finally entered the US, only to be detained two days later and subsequently deported.
Meanwhile, Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said the investigation in the case is still ongoing and assured that both accused would be arrested soon.
