A family of three from Panchkula has been crushed after falling prey to a fraud that promised jobs and permanent residence in the United States. The crooks, acting as immigration officers, duped their family out of Rs 52 lakh.
The experience began in September 2022, after Mandeep Kaur, an inhabitant of Sector 21, Panchkula, encountered Gurdas Singh and his son Gurjot. The two posed as immigration agents and persuaded Kaur and her spouse of their competence in obtaining American employment and permanent residence.
The couple, enticed by the prospect seeking a better life overseas, eagerly agreed to the brokers’ requirements. The high price of Rs 80 lakh, nevertheless, proved a hurdle. Determined to realize their ambition, Kaur explains that they sold a home worth Rs 10 lakh as well as took out loans from family to make the first payments.
The family’s hopes were further fueled as they started paying the agents in installments. However, red flags emerged soon after. The family was first sent to Azerbaijan, where they stayed for a month, before being stranded at the Dubai International Airport for three excruciating days.
The situation turned nightmarish when they were handed travel documents – visas for Bolivia, which upon verification, turned out to be fake. The family, realizing they had been duped, lodged a complaint with the Panchkula police.
The authorities have filed a case against the accused under the Immigration Act along with applicable provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal breach of trust (406) and cheating (420). The search to apprehend the offenders is now ongoing.
This episode serves as a clear reminder of the hazards of becoming prey to unscrupulous brokers who abuse people’s ambitions for chances overseas. The Panchkula police encourage locals to exercise care while interacting with such people and to properly check the qualifications of any firm that promises immigration assistance.
