New Delhi — Delhi Police detained three youths from Punjab at IGI Airport on 29 May after they were found in possession of fake Schengen visas. The trio was attempting to fly to Madrid, Spain, when Indigo Airlines staff flagged discrepancies in their documents during the check-in process.
The three individuals — Harjeet Singh (44), Bhagwant Singh (25), and Gurcharan Singh (28) — are residents of the Ajnala area of Amritsar, which falls under the constituency of Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal. The youths were victims of an elaborate immigration scam, having paid lakhs of rupees to agents who promised them employment abroad and provided forged documents.
How the Scam Unfolded at IGI Airport
The three men arrived at Delhi’s IGI Airport with Indigo flight tickets to Madrid. However, during routine verification at the airline counter, the tickets did not match any records in the airline’s system. This prompted deeper scrutiny by airport authorities.
Officials then examined the Schengen visas stamped on their passports, and Swiss liaison officers at the airport confirmed the documents were fraudulent. The passengers were immediately detained, and a case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (now BNS) and Passport Act.
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Fraud Network Uncovered: Agent Arrested, Kingpin Behind Bars
During the investigation, Delhi Police discovered that the three victims were duped by a local travel agent named Kamaldeep Singh, who was later arrested from Kurukshetra, Haryana. According to police sources, Kamaldeep knew that the visas were fake and that the main accused, Sonu Walia, was already in jail. Walia had previously promised the victims waiter jobs in Spain.
Despite being aware of Walia’s arrest, Kamaldeep proceeded with the plan, fearing that disclosing the truth might prompt the victims to demand a refund and back out of the journey. Walia, the alleged mastermind behind the racket, is currently lodged in Gurdaspur jail, having been arrested earlier by Punjab Police for similar offenses.
Delhi Police has now initiated the process to bring Sonu Walia on a production warrant for further interrogation. Authorities believe Walia played a central role in issuing fake visas and orchestrating fraudulent overseas employment deals.
Wider Network Under Investigation
Police suspect that the operation extends beyond Walia and Kamaldeep, involving multiple agents and forgers across different states. Investigators are now probing bank accounts, tracking financial transactions, and identifying other potential victims of this visa scam network.
The incident has raised concerns over the increasing number of human trafficking and fake visa rackets targeting unemployed youth in Punjab under the guise of overseas employment. Law enforcement agencies have also alerted immigration authorities to remain vigilant for similar attempts, particularly from high-risk areas like Amritsar and Jalandhar.
As of now, the detained youths are being treated as victims of fraud and are cooperating with authorities. The police have appealed to the public to exercise caution when dealing with travel agents and to verify credentials before pursuing foreign job opportunities.
