Nicaragua flight: After Gujarat prod, police call victims to record statements

Tribune Reporters

Amritsar, January 14

There are around 40 victims of immigration fraud from Amritsar and Tarn Taran, who had boarded Nicaragua-bound donkey route plane that was grounded at France and later sent back to India.

The police had initiated the process of recording the statements of the victims.

“We have called the victims for recording their statements. Appropriate action will be taken as per law,” said Satinder Singh, SSP, Amritsar rural, here. He added that the police would take the decision regarding registering the FIR tomorrow.

He said they had received a communiqué from SIT to identify the deportees of the Nicaragua plan. “We have around 20 victims from different parts of the rural belt. including Gharinda, Ajnala and Baba Bakala,” he said.

Similarly, the Tarn Taran police have initiated the investigation regarding 20 persons of the district, who were among the deportees sent back from France.

There were 20 residents of Tarn Taran district. Maninder Singh, SP (Headquarters), Tarn Taran, is investigating the issue. He said the victims were duped of lakhs of rupees by travel agents for sending them to the USA through an illegal route from Nicaragua.

“We are trying to identify the agents who duped them and took huge amounts for taking them to the USA,” said Maninder Singh.

However, Gurdaspur SSP Harish Dayama said they were yet to receive any letter for probing into the case.

The flight had majority of Punjabi (around 200) and Gujarati passengers (66), who had booked the Nicaragua-bound flight to follow donkey route for realising their American dream. The special investigating team (SIT) of the Gujarat Police has booked 14 travel agents on charges of human trafficking for illegally sending Gujarat passengers following the initial probe. It has written to the Punjab Police for tracing Punjabi passengers for further probe.

14 agents booked by Gujarat SIT

• The flight had a majority of Punjabi (around 200) and Gujarati passengers (66), who had booked the Nicaragua-bound flight to follow donkey route for realising their American dream
• SIT of the Gujarat Police has booked 14 travel agents on charges of human trafficking for illegally sending Gujarat passengers following the initial probe
• It has written to the Punjab Police for tracing Punjabi passengers for investigation