A 58-year-old man from Punjab, who has been absconding for more than 13 years, was arrested by the Delhi Police on Tuesday in connection with an immigration fraud case at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
Manjeet Singh alias Bitto, who was arrested, was declared a proclaimed offender by the Patiala House Court, New Delhi in 2013 in a case registered in November 2011, police said on Wednesday.
“On the intervening night of November 15 and 16, 2011, officials during an immigration check at the IGI airport found that the passport of Kulwinder Kaur, an Indian national traveling from Austria, had been used for multiple entries and exits, including a fraudulent return trip. Organized by Singh, a resident of Ludhiana,” Usha Rangnani said. , Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport, Delhi), said.
After her arrest, Kaur told police that Bitto had used her passport to facilitate another person’s travel from Austria to Delhi, the official said, adding that Bitto’s aide Gurdeep Singh was arrested in November 2011. Bitto managed to give the slip to the police despite many. raids, DCP said.
A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Passport Act.
A team led by Inspector Sushil Goyal (SHO IGI Airport) launched a fresh effort and arrested Bitto in Delhi with the help of local and technical intelligence, the official said. “During interrogation, Bitto admitted his role in arranging Kaur’s travel and facilitating the fraudulent travel using her passport in 2009,” said DCP Rangnani.
As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities will look into Bitto’s financial transactions and possible involvement in other similar cases, the official said.
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