The police have registered a case against four persons, including a woman, for allegedly cheating members of a family of ₹26.45 lakh on the pretext of sending them to Canada. The accused have been identified as Sarabjit Kumar, alias Sarabjit Raj, Rashid Masih, Deep Bhatia and Ravika.
According to a complaint by Raj Kalyan, a resident of Mohalla Topkhana, Kapurthala, with SSP Gaurav Toora, he wanted to settle in Canada along with his family. Through a relative, he came in contact with Sarabjit and Rashid, who allegedly agreed to process immigration for ₹50 lakh.
The complainant stated that in January 2023, Sarabjit contacted and asked him to send passport copies of his wife and children along with email IDs, and initially demanded ₹3.20 lakh. He further alleged that, acting on the instructions of the accused, he transferred and handed over money on different occasions. Later, he was asked to arrange additional funds for filing the Canada Embassy application, medical examination and other immigration formalities.
Raj Kalyan alleged that the accused continued to assure him that his file was progressing and repeatedly demanded more money. He was also asked to get his heavy driving licence prepared and undergo a medical examination.
Subsequently, he was informed that a work permit had been rejected and that an additional ₹7 lakh was required to obtain another visa opportunity. Believing the assurances, he arranged money from relatives and handed over cash and passport documents to a person allegedly sent by the accused.
When the promised immigration process did not materialise, the complainant demanded the return of his money. He alleged that the accused instead started threatening him, leaving him under severe mental stress. He also claimed that he had even sold his house in the hope of moving abroad.
Following the complaint, the SSP ordered an inquiry by the DSP, Kapurthala. The investigation reportedly found that Raj Kalyan had paid ₹16.20 lakh in cash to Deep Bhatia at his telecom shop near Kacheri Chowk, Kapurthala, while ₹3.75 lakh was allegedly paid to Ravika. The inquiry also revealed that 700 pounds and 6,589 pounds were transferred to the bank account of Sarabjit’s son Solomon, who resides in England. The total amount obtained from the complainant was found to be ₹26.45 lakh.