Kapurthala man on way to France missing, two travel agents booked
It has been two months since I have spoken to my husband. His phone is switched off. The agent is evasive about his whereabouts. I am worried about his safety. SUKHWINDER KAUR, wife of victim Sultanpur Lodhi DSP is supervising the probe. After verification, we will add sections of Punjab Human Trafficking Prevention Act to the case against the travel agents. SATINDER SINGH, Kapurthala SSP
KAPURTHALA : A 36-year-old man from Kapurthala, who had left the country to enter France through travel agents in an illegal manner in December 2017, is now untraceable, his wife complained to the police on Sunday. The man, Sukhwinder Singh of Sultanpur Lodhi, has not been heard from in two months, the wife claimed.
“According to the complainant, Sukhwinder Kaur, her husband has been incommunicado for two months. The last time she spoke to him, he was in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country in southeastern Europe two months ago,” a police official said.
On the woman’s complaint to the SSP Satinder Singh, the police have booked travel agents, Sabi, of Sultanpur Lodhi, and Jasvir Kaur of Lamba Pind in Jalandhar, for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
The agents are accused of fraudulently transporting Sukhwinder, first to Sarıkaya in Turkey and then to Bosnia. According to the complainant, the deal with the travel agents had been to send him directly to France for ₹6.5 lakh.
“My husband left home for Delhi on December 14, 2017,” his wife has told the police, adding, “A few days later, I received a call from my husband that travel agents had sent him to Sarıkaya in Turkey to their local aide. He told me that he was to be sent to France via Bosnia.”
She added that her husband had been staying at the agent’s apartment in Bosnia, where he told her that local agents were dilly-dallying on sending him to France.
“Now, it has been two months since I have spoken to my husband. His phone has been switched off. Agent Sabi is also evasive about his whereabouts,” she added.
Investigating officer assistant sub-inspector Gurdeep Singh said, “A case has been registered on the complainant’s statement. The travel agents are absconding.”
“I have asked Sultanpur Lodhi DSP Tejbir Singh to supervise the investigation. After verification of facts, we will add sections of Punjab Human Trafficking Prevention Rule to the case against the travel agents,” the SSP added.
Those convicted under this law are liable to be punished with imprisonment for a period not less than three years, which may extend to seven years and with fine which may extend to ₹5 lakh.