New Delhi: Police in Haryana and Punjab have formally initiated action against several agents involved in sending Indian citizens to the US, following the deportations of at least 104 Indian immigrants earlier this week. Punjab has also constituted a special investigation team (SIT) comprising four senior police officers to identify those involved in illegal immigration and to suggest ways to curb the practice.
On Wednesday, a US military aircraft transported the immigrants to Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport. Most of those deported were from Haryana and Gujarat (33 each), and Punjab (30).
While the Haryana Police have lodged two FIRs against agents named by two deportees, the Punjab Police have registered one FIR against an agent named by one deportee.
“The fact-finding committee/special investigation team has been directed to take appropriate action as per law and facts, and take action against any person found involved in committing illegalities and indulging in illegal migration/human trafficking. This collaborative effort is aimed at ensuring a comprehensive and effective investigation into illegal migration,” Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a statement Friday.
The three complainants were among the group of 104 nationals who were allegedly shackled and deported from the US.
On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke in the Rajya Sabha about the deportation saga.
In response to questions raised by MPs, predominantly from the opposition benches, Jaishankar said authorities have been asked to sit with all deportees and get details of their journey to the US.
“In fact, that’s why the authorities have been given instructions to sit with every one of the returnees, find out how they went to America, who was the agent, and how we can take precautions so this doesn’t continue. We’ve been sympathetic and solicitous to these people– they have come through a difficult experience, misled by agents,” Jaishankar said.
He added: “We are of course engaging with the US government to ensure that the returning deportees were not mistreated. At the same time, our focus should be on strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry while taking steps to ease visas for legitimate travel. They (returnees) have been trapped into both moving and working in inhumane conditions.”
“Unfortunately, there have even been fatalities in the course of such illegal migration. Those who have returned have testified to their harrowing experiences. It’s the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad,” he said.
Although police forces in Punjab and Haryana have already started criminal proceedings, they emphasise that the “onus is on deportees” to come forward with their version of events and make complaints if they were misled by agents or duped into taking the illegal route to the US.
“In the majority of these cases, they know they are going on an illegal route to enter the US. They accept all the terms and conditions made by the agents, irrespective of their cost, and practically tough situations. Now, in the wake of their deportation, they have to come forward to lodge complaints if they were duped or misled by agents. We can’t be harassing them seeking information to initiate inquiries at this point of time,” a top Punjab Police official told ThePrint.
Also Read: Jaishankar tells RS deportation flights ‘not new’, US deported nearly 16,000 Indians since 2009
Action by Haryana Police
On Thursday, the Karnal police in Haryana registered two FIRs based on complaints by two district natives—Akash and Sumit—who alleged that they were duped by agents.
The separate FIRs have been registered against three agents for fraud at Madhuban and Assand police stations.
In the first case, Shubham, a resident of Kalaram village in Karnal, stated that his younger brother Akash had met a man named Sandeep while visiting Delhi. Sandeep gave him the contact number of an agent who introduced himself as Rocky from Jalandhar. The agent demanded Rs 42.50 lakh to send Akash to the US. ThePrint has seen a copy of the FIR.
Shubham further stated that the payment was made in four installments: Rs 7.50 lakh near Bastara toll plaza on 5 May last year, Rs 10 lakh under Kutail bridge on 10 October, Rs 20 lakh near Bastara bridge on 28 October, and Rs 5 lakh at the village bus stand on 27 December.
As soon as Akash landed in the US on the night of 25 January, he was arrested by the authorities there and detained in a camp a day later. On 5 February, he was deported back to India.
Shubham lodged a complaint against Rocky and his accomplice at the Madhuban police station. The police have registered a case under Indian Penal Code Sections 406 and 420 for criminal breach of trust and cheating, and Section 24 of the Emigration Act.
In Sumit’s case, he decided to go to the US due to unemployment back home. One Vikram Singh from his village introduced him to a man named Pradeep Rana, who demanded Rs 40 lakh to facilitate his entry into the US, according to the police.
Sumit paid Rs 8 lakh in cash and executed an agreement to sell his 1.5-acre land to the agent for the rest of the amount. The agent then arranged for his illegal entry into the US, the police said.
On 25 January, as soon as Sumit entered the US from Mexico, he was caught by the US border forces and detained. He was deported to India on 5 February.
Sumit filed a complaint at the Assandh police station against Vikram and Pradeep. The police have registered a case under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal breach of trust and cheating, and Section 24 of the Emigration Act.
The police have said all the accused would be arrested soon.
Action by Punjab Police
On Thursday, the Amritsar rural police filed an FIR based on a complaint from Daler Singh, a resident of Punjab’s Salempur village. In his complaint, Daler alleged that a travel agent had assured him of entry to the US via the legal route but forced him into immigration through illegal means.
The police have booked the Amritsar-based travel agent under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 13 of the Punjab Travel Professionals (Regulation) Act. ThePrint has accessed the FIR.
In his complaint, Daler alleged that his relative introduced him to travel agent Satnam Singh with whom he forged a deal to go to the US for Rs 60 lakh in 2023. In the first attempt, he was sent to Nigeria but he returned. In the second attempt, he was sent to Dubai in August 2024, and from there sent to Brazil by Satnam Singh.
In the final step of his journey to the US, Daler said he was moved to Mexico from Brazil and from there crossed over to the US on 15 January this year.
Daler has stated that he was deported by the US government this week due to immigration through illegal means. He is one of five deportees from Amritsar.
Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Ludhiana were the other districts with the most deportees.
Gujarat Police to launch inquiry
Gujarat Police officials ThePrint spoke to said that they are yet to initiate inquiries in the cases of those deported by the US. However, they said a call would be taken soon by Director General of Police Vikas Sahay.
Officials said “suo motu” inquiries have been launched in the past based on information from the public and there is a likelihood of a similar probe in the matter of deportation from the US of 33 residents of Gujarat.
Thirteen of those deported hail from capital Gandhinagar, 10 from Mehsana district, four from Patan district and one each from Ahmedabad city, Ahmedabad rural, Vadodara rural, Anand, Bharuch and Banaskantha districts.
“We have probed cases suo motu after the DGP’s order in the past when illegal immigration from Gujarat came to our notice, and we are expecting to receive a similar order. A thorough investigation will follow on the routes taken by these deportees and of the agents involved,” a senior Gujarat Police officer told ThePrint.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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This illegal immigration network stretching from India and extending to western developed nations must be dismantled and prosecuted.
Many of the people involved in this shady business are in cahoots with anti-India elements like the Khalistanis. This network is the one which supplies the Khalistani centres of Canada and USA with a steady stream of younger generation people from Punjab.
The Indian security agencies must go hammer and tongs at this industry and dismantle it completely.