Sources said that initially the victims tried to take the money back from the accused on their own, but later lodged a police complaint. (Representative image)The UT Police on Saturday booked four people for duping three people of Rs 33.50 lakh on the pretext of sending them abroad. Police said the accused were running their immigration firms at Sector 34. They shut their operations and have absconded.
The accused were identified as Mandeep Singh and Pawan, who were running their immigration firm in partnership. The other two were identified as Ravi Bhatia and Sanjay Bhatia of Gayatry Travels.
Police said Manjit Kumar and Ravi of Jind district were cheated of Rs 15.50 lakh by the accused in 2020, while Anil Kumar of Mohali was cheated of Rs 18 lakh in 2017.
Mandeep Singh and Pawan had promised Manjit Kumar and Ravi to send them to Switzerland on work visas. The victims gave the amount with their passports and other documents to the accused.
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Sources said that initially the victims tried to take the money back from the accused on their own, but later lodged a police complaint. Anil Kumar of Mohali was told that he would be sent to Canada on a work permit visa. He had paid Rs 18 lakh to Ravi Bhatia and Sanjay Bhatia.
“The suspects shifted their base from Sector 34 a few years ago. During the preliminary probe, they did not join the investigation. Efforts are being made to locate them,” SHO Sector 34 police station, inspector Devinder Singh, said.
Sector 34 police have registered two cases on charges of cheating and under Section 24 of Emigration Act, 1983.
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