Punjab Police arrest travel agent from Patiala in US deportation scam | Punjab

PTC Web Desk:  In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against fraudulent immigration consultants, the NRI Affairs wing of the Punjab Police has arrested Anil Batra, a travel agent from Patiala, accused of orchestrating an illegal immigration scam. Batra is one of the four key suspects involved in deceiving individuals with false promises of facilitating illegal entry into the United States, leading to their deportation.

The arrest follows the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Punjab Police, which registered 10 FIRs against various travel agents accused of exploiting people by promising unauthorised entry into the US. The SIT was established by Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, to investigate complaints of fraudulent immigration practices and hold the culprits accountable.

DGP Gaurav Yadav highlighted the Punjab Police’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks and safeguarding vulnerable people from exploitation. He also urged the public to report any information related to such scams and advised citizens to only seek immigration services from licensed agents after verifying their credentials.

Details of the arrest

Acting on the directions of the SIT, led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) NRI Affairs Praveen Sinha, Anil Batra was arrested by a team headed by SHO police station NRI Patiala, Inspector Abhey Singh Chauhan. The operation was conducted under the supervision of SP NRI Affairs Patiala, Gurbans Singh Bains.

Batra, a resident of Shanti Nagar, Teka Market, Thanesar, Kurukshetra, Haryana, was apprehended at his in-laws’ residence in Patiala’s Partap Nagar locality. The arrest is linked to FIR No. 06, dated February 8, 2025, under Sections 406 (Criminal Breach of Trust), 420 (Cheating and Dishonesty), 370 (Trafficking of Persons), and 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 24 of the Emigration Act.

Modus operandi: Deceptive immigration route

According to the investigation, Anil Batra facilitated the illegal immigration process by arranging a visa for Suriname and booking the complainant’s travel ticket. Once in Suriname, the victim was routed through various South American countries, including Brazil and Colombia, before crossing into Central America. From there, the journey continued through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, ultimately reaching the United States with the help of traffickers and smugglers.

This complex route was designed to evade legal scrutiny and immigration checks, making it easier for individuals to cross international borders illegally. Such deceptive practices have led to several deportations, highlighting the need for strict action against immigration fraud.

The SIT has frozen Anil Batra’s bank account, which has a balance of Rs 6.35 lakh, as part of the financial investigation. The team is also probing other assets and financial transactions linked to the illegal immigration network.

– PTC NEWS