Punjab-based agent held at IGI Airport for facilitating illegal US entry through 'Dunki route'

The Delhi Police has arrested a 36-year-old Punjab-based agent allegedly involved in forging travel documents and facilitating illegal entry into the United States through the ‘Dunki route’, an official said on Friday, 18 April.

The accused, identified as Naresh Kumar, a resident of Matoulli village in Patiala, Punjab, was apprehended following the deportation of an Indian passenger from the US, he said.

Kumar had allegedly worked with other agents to arrange a fake Schengen visa and later tampered with the passenger’s passport to conceal the forgery.

The case came to light on the intervening night of April 4 and 5 when a deportee, Gursahib Singh (39), arrived at IGI Airport from the US.

During scrutiny of his travel documents, immigration officials noticed glue marks on one of the pages of his passport, indicating signs of tampering.

Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district in Punjab, was subsequently booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Passport Act at IGI Airport police station, a senior police officer said. He was arrested and interrogated, during which he revealed the details of the operation.

Police said Singh disclosed that after returning to India from Singapore in 2024, he came in contact with an agent named Gurdev Singh alias ‘Gurri’, who promised to help him enter the US illegally in exchange for Rs 20 lakh. Singh paid Rs 17 lakh in cash and transferred the remaining Rs 3 lakh to a bank account later found to belong to Naresh Kumar.

As per the plan, Singh was routed through multiple countries including the UK, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico, and finally Tijuana, from where he crossed into the US illegally via the ‘Dunki route’. Before entering the US, an associate of the agents procured a forged Schengen visa and affixed it to Singh’s passport, which was later tampered with to hide the fake visa.

However, Singh was detained by US authorities and deported to India after a three-month stay in custody. His arrival triggered the investigation that led to Kumar’s arrest.

"During sustained interrogation, Naresh Kumar confessed to his role in the forgery and revealed that he and his brother had been operating as travel agents for several years," the officer said.

"He admitted to working with Gurdev Singh on a commission basis and confirmed receiving Rs 3 lakh from the passenger," he added.

Efforts are underway to trace Gurdev Singh, who remains absconding. Investigators are also examining Kumar’s bank accounts and his possible links to similar cases, he said.