2nd US aircraft carrying Indian migrants to land in Amritsar today; “Test of diplomacy,” says Congress
Earlier, on February 5, 104 Indian nationals were deported from the US, reportedly with their hands and legs tied.
In a significant development amidst the ongoing crackdown against fraudulent immigration consultants, NRI Affairs wing of Punjab Police has arrested a travel agent identified as Anil Batra, one of the four accused involved in the illegal immigration scam case.
The development came close on the heels of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by Punjab Police registering 10 first information reports (FIRs) against travel agents, who allegedly deceived victims with false promises of facilitating illegal entry into the United States, resulting in their deportation.
Pertinently, a four member SIT had been constituted by Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav to probe complaints of fraudulent travel agents involved in deceptive immigration practices.
The SIT has been exhorting the deported individuals to come forth and assist in ensuring that those violating the laws are submitted to the majesty of the law.
Working on the directions of the SIT headed by ADGP NRI Affairs Praveen Sinha, accused Anil Batra was arrested by a team led by SHO Police Station NRI Patiala Inspector Abhey Singh Chauhan under the close supervision of SP NRI Affairs Patiala Gurbans Singh Bains.
Accused Anil Batra, a resident of Shanti Nagar, Teka Market, Thanesar, Kurukshetra, Haryana, was apprehended from his in-laws’ residence in Patiala (5-E Partap Nagar).
He is charged in FIR No. 06, dated February 8, 2025, under sections 406, 420, 370, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 24 of the Emigration Act.
Batra is accused of facilitating the illegal immigration process by arranging a Visa of country Suriname and ticket for the complainant.
Once in Suriname, the victim travelled overland to other countries in South America, including Brazil or Colombia, where he crossed into Central America.
In Central America he travelled through countries, including Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, to finally reach the United States of America (USA) illegally, with the help of traffickers and smugglers. As of February 14, 2025, Anil Batra’s bank account has been frozen with a balance of Rs 6.35 lakhs.
DGP Gaurav Yadav reiterated the Punjab Police’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
He urged the public to come forward with any information that could assist in apprehending culprits against whom cases have been registered.
Additionally, the DGP advised citizens to only approach licensed agents for immigration services and verify their credentials thoroughly to avoid falling prey to scams.
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