Three FIRs against travel agents in Karnal, one Amritsar

Two days after 104 Indians were deported from the US, three FIRs were on Friday lodged against travel agents in Karnal while one case was registered in Amritsar even as the Punjab Police set up a four-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe illegal migration and human trafficking.

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While the Karnal police booked four agents, whose identity was not revealed, the Amritsar police lodged the FIR against a “fake” travel agent, Satnam Singh, on the complaint of a deportee, Daler Singh of Salempura village. Daler alleged that Satnam charged Rs 60 lakh while promising to send him to the US on a valid visa. He, however, had to take the “dunki” route through Panama jungles and Mexico. He was detained by the US Border Patrol on January 15. Amritsar (Rural) SSP Charanjit Singh Sohal said the FIR had been lodged under Sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 13 of the Punjab Travel Professionals (Regulation) Act.

In Karnal, a Mumbai-based agent was booked under Sections 120B, 370, 406, 420 and 506 of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act on the complaint of a deportee, Manoj. He alleged that he was cheated of Rs 48 lakh and had reached the US on January 25.

Another FIR was filed at Madhuban police station in Karnal against a Jalandhar-based agent under Sections 406 and 420 of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act. Complainant Shubham, a resident of Kalron village, alleged his family was cheated of several lakhs on the pretext of sending his brother Aakash to the US. The third FIR was filed at Assandh police station against two Karnal-based agents under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the complaint of Sumit Singh of Bassi.