Two cousin brothers, arrested by Punjab Police in connection with a murder case, were among 117 Indian illegal immigrants deported from the United States on a C-17 US Air Force aircraft, which landed at Amritsar International Airport on the night of February 17.
The spotlight also falls on two other deportees now in custody. Gurwinder Singh, 26, from Ludhiana, who was wanted for snatching in 2021, was taken into custody by Meharban Police over outstanding non-bailable warrants.
Singh’s family, however, claims his arrest is politically motivated, alleging that he was falsely implicated in the cases due to his past association with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). Two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against him, and police are investigating whether he was arrested in the cases or out on bail.
Singh reportedly paid a staggering Rs 45 lakh to a travel agent for his journey to the US, which took him three months to complete.
Meanwhile, Haryana Police arrested Sahil Verma, a resident of Pehowa in Kurukshetra, who was wanted for molesting and threatening a minor girl in May 2022 under the POCSO Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. Verma fled to Vietnam shortly after the case was registered and later moved to Italy, where he stayed for two years.
He illegally entered the US via the Mexico border on January 25 and was subsequently arrested by the US Border Patrol. Upon his deportation, a police team from Pehowa City Police Station arrested him at Amritsar. He was produced in court and sent to jail.
He had reportedly paid Rs 38 lakh to a travel agent for his international escape.