The Sultanpur Lodhi police have registered a criminal case against three individuals for allegedly cheating a local resident of more than ₹44 lakh by falsely promising to send him to the United States. The case has been filed under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 13 of the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2014.
The complainant, Jagtar Singh, a resident of village Jainpur in Sultanpur Lodhi, alleged that the accused Joga Singh of village Masitan, his wife Jaswinder Kaur, and Jagjeet Singh Bhullar of Sangat Singh Nagar, Jalandhar duped him on the pretext of arranging legal travel to the US. Police said the accused are known to the complainant and are related to him.
According to the complaint, the accused were allegedly operating an illegal overseas travel racket while projecting themselves as legitimate travel facilitators. Joga Singh reportedly claimed to have strong connections that enabled him to send people directly to the United States through legal channels and assured the complainant that all arrangements were already in place.
Jagtar Singh stated that in July 2024, he entered into an agreement with the accused to be sent to the United States for a total cost of ₹50 lakh. He was allegedly assured that the payment would be taken only after the visa was approved. Subsequently, Joga Singh allegedly informed him that the US visa had been granted and even showed him a copy of the visa to gain his trust.
On the basis of this claim, the accused allegedly collected ₹44.15 lakh from the complainant through various transactions. However, instead of being sent to the United States, Jagtar Singh alleged that he was illegally taken to Mexico. He further claimed that he was kept under harsh and distressing conditions there for nearly four months before being moved to a camp.
After spending around seven months in total under uncertain circumstances, the complainant was deported and returned to India on July 18, 2025. Following his return, he approached the accused seeking a refund of the money paid. However, they allegedly refused and also threatened him, prompting him to approach the police.
After a preliminary inquiry into the allegations, the Sultanpur Lodhi police registered the case and initiated further investigation. Police officials said they are examining financial transactions, travel routes, and the role of each accused in the alleged scam.
Authorities have stated that strict legal action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation and have once again cautioned the public against falling prey to unauthorized agents offering overseas travel through illegal means.
