Duping people on pretext of sending them abroad rampant: Punjab and Haryana High Court

Tribune News Service

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, November 15

Nearly two decades have elapsed since the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana were directed to intervene for “avoiding repetition of Malta boat tragedy”, in which 283 youngsters wanting to go abroad lost their lives. Yet, the menace of cheating innocents continues. It has now compelled the Punjab and Haryana High Court to direct curbing the “fraud” with an iron hand to save the innocents.

“Needless to say, such type of cheating, duping and fraud is rampant in our society and is often adopted by fraudsters and unscrupulous persons on pretext of sending innocent people abroad and thereby duping them. This has become a cakewalk to amass wealth illegally overnight which needs to be curbed with an iron hand to save the innocent people,” Justice Ashok Kumar Verma asserted.

The observations came on a petition by a woman for anticipatory bail in a case registered on September 27 for cheating and criminal conspiracy under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC at the Kathunangal police station in Amritsar district.

It was alleged that the petitioner-woman and another person agreed to send the complainant and his wife to France for Rs 17 lakh. As such, he transferred the money to the bank account of the accused. Thereafter, the accused started delaying the matter on one pretext or the other. They stopped receiving his calls. It was further alleged that accused, in connivance with each other, cheated the complainant.

Turning down the plea, Justice Verma asserted there were serious allegations of cheating and fraud. Prima facie, the petitioner’s involvement in the commission of offence, in connivance with the co-accused, was writ large.

Besides this, the recovery was yet to be made. “I do not deem it a fit case for grant of concession of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. The petitioner’s custodial interrogation is necessary for complete and effective investigation. In case the same is denied to the investigating agency, it would leave many gaps and loopholes, adversely affecting the investigation, which is uncalled for. Moreover, investigation is at initial stage,” Justice Verma added.

In April 2003, the High Court had asked the Chief Secretaries to look after the “interest of poor prospective non-resident Indians, rather than confining their concern to those well-settled migrants who have already made a fortune abroad, so as to avoid repetition of Malta boat tragedy”. The authorities concerned were also asked to explore the feasibility of using the print, audio or electronic media for educating the masses about the pitfalls. The court since then passed a slew of directions, but Justice Verma’s order makes it evident that the directions were yet to be effectively implemented.

Fraudulent practice

Needless to say, such type of cheating, duping and fraud is rampant in our society and is often adopted by fraudsters and unscrupulous persons on pretext of sending innocent people abroad and thereby duping them. — Justice Ashok Kumar Verma

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