Panchkula Immigration Fraud Dunki Route Mastermind Arrested

Panchkula police has arrested the alleged mastermind of a Rs 12.30-lakh immigration fraud, in which a resident was duped on the promise of being sent legally to the United States, but was instead routed through Dubai and Armenia via the illegal ‘Dunki’ route.

The accused, who had been absconding for nearly two years, was intercepted at Amritsar airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Malaysia. Police said a Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against the accused, identified as Azad Singh of Panipat, led to his detention at the airport on Thursday. A team of the Anti-Emigration Fraud Unit brought him to Panchkula after completing legal formalities. A local court on Friday granted the police three days’ remand for further interrogation.

According to police, the case was registered at Raipur Rani police station on March 7, 2024, under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act following a complaint by a Panchkula resident.

The complainant alleged that the accused and his associates promised to send him legally to the US on a tourist visa for Rs 38 lakh and collected Rs 12.30 lakh as an advance. Instead, he was allegedly sent first to Dubai and then Armenia while being repeatedly assured that he would eventually reach America. Realising he had been cheated, he returned to India and approached the police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Srishti Gupta said police had earlier arrested three co-accused — Baljinder, Vikas alias Vicky and Pankaj Chauhan — and filed a chargesheet against them, while Azad Singh had remained on the run. An LOC was issued against him on June 23, 2024.

During his interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed the involvement of another associate, who is now being traced. Police said efforts are also underway to recover the share of the cheated money allegedly received by him.

Gupta urged people planning to go abroad to deal only with government-authorised and licensed immigration agents and avoid falling prey to agents making false promises of overseas jobs or illegal migration routes. She appealed to victims of such frauds to report the matter to the police or the Anti-Emigration Fraud Unit for prompt legal action.