A resident of Jhorda village of Raikot, who was duped by a travel agent on the pretext of sending him to Canada, finally returned home after being stranded in Dubai for two years, officials aware of the developments said.
The Hathur police have registered a case against the travel agent, they added. The victim alleged that the travel agent and his accomplices extorted 12,000 dirhams from him to facilitate his return to India.
The victim, Gurpreet Singh, said he arranged money from his family to buy a ticket to return home.
Following a complaint by the victim, the Hathur police registered a first-information report (FIR) against the accused, Raj Kumar Joshi, Rakesh Kumar and his brother Raman Kumar – all residents of Kalanaur of Gurdaspur. The complainant said he did a course of electrician after completing school education.
He was interested in going to Canada for a better future and a relative, Vijay Kumar, introduced him to a travel agent Raj Kumar. He said the accused promised him that he would send him to Canada through Dubai and demanded ₹22 lakh. He alleged that the accused took ₹7 lakh as advance and the rest was to be paid after reaching Canada.
He said the accused sent him to Dubai on September 2, 2022, assuring him that his aide Raman Kumar will receive him and help him in availing a driving license and reaching Canada. The complainant alleged that the accused held him captive and forced him to work in Dubai. The accused extorted 12,000 dirham to release him, he said.
He said he returned home on April 16 this year and filed a complaint.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sulakhan Singh said that after an investigation, the police registered an FIR under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing someone to deliver property) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
A hunt is on to arrest the accused, the ASI added.
Police register another FIR against travel agent Kapoor
The accused, who is out on bail, is already nominated in at least 11 first-information reports (FIR) for allegedly duping people on the pretext of sending them abroad.
The fresh FIR was registered following a statement by Navjot Singh of Mohar Singh Nagar. The complainant said the accused promised to send him abroad and charged ₹4 lakh.
He alleged that the accused neither returned his money nor sent him abroad.
He filed a complaint on November 28, 2023.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Satnam Singh, who is investigating the case, said the FIR was registered following an investigation.
The accused has been booked under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 13 of the Punjab Travel Professional Regularisation Act.
A hunt is on to arrest the accused, the ASI said. HTC