21 FIRs registered against travel agents in 45 days
The Civil Lines Police Sub-Division had cracked the whip against fraud travel and immigration agents. In the past one-and-a-half month, as many as 21 first information report (FIRs) have been registered against the fraudsters. These cases have been registered at the Police Division 8, Police Division 5 and Model Town police stations, falling in the jurisdiction of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Civil Lines.
Pertinently, in these cases, the travel agents have duped foreign aspirants to the tune of around Rs 5 crore.
The ACP, Civil Lines, Jatin Bansal, told The Tribune here on Saturday that in the 21 FIRs, 11 immigration and travel firms were involved. Four agents were arrested while raids were on to catch the remaining over 24 suspects.
“The FIRs have been registered in a short period of 45 days only after conducting a preliminary probe. Several complaints against other travel agents have also been received and after completing investigation, the complaints may also turn into FIRs if the allegations are found to be true,” the ACP said.
Bansal said the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Kuldeep Singh Chahal, had given clear directions that any kind of fraud with residents should not be tolerated and action should be taken against fraud travel agents and other miscreants to deliver justice to complainants.
Bansal urged the people that they should not file fake complaints against anyone by presenting cases of financial dispute as matter of immigration fraud.
Among the 21 FIRs, six were registered against Global Way Immigration, situated in Model Town, here, in which the police had also arrested the suspects, Amit Malhotra (39) and his sister Veenu Malhotra (38), residents of Phase 1, Dugri, along with Rs 1.07 crore illegal money amassed allegedly from foreign aspirants. The brother-sister duo has also duped a woman police officer from Mohali, who is part of the the Chief Minister’s security team.
Raids on to catch over 24 suspects: cop
The ACP, Civil Lines, Jatin Bansal, said in the 21 FIRs, 11 immigration and travel firms were involved. Four agents were arrested while raids are on to catch the remaining over 24 suspects.
