Youths being duped daily: Punjab & Haryana High Court denies anticipatory bail to man accused of using ‘dunki route’ to send youth abroad

“The allegations against the petitioner are serious in nature. On daily basis, several youths of the State of Punjab are being duped of their money and are victimized on the pretext of sending them abroad”, the court noted.

Background

An FIR was registered against the accused based on a complaint by a woman who alleged that the accused had taken Rs. 8,10,000 from her and her brother on the pretext of sending her brother to Germany. It was alleged that the accused sent her brother to Russia through an illegal route/dunki route, where he was forced to join war.

It was further alleged that her family had received a message that her brother had died and they were asked for money if they wanted the dead body of her brother.

The counsel for the accused submitted that the complainant’s brother had gone to Russia on a tourist visa, and he had not been sent through the dunki route. It was further submitted that the accused had nothing to do with the recruitment of the victim in the Russian Army.

The court noted that the accused is alleged to have induced the brother of the complainant on the pretext of sending him to Germany and after receiving a huge amount of money from him, sent him to Russia on a tourist visa.

The court further noted that the complainant’s brother was assured that he would be sent to Germany, though no valid visa was issued in his favour.

The court also observed that if custodial interrogation of the accused is denied, many ‘glaring loopholes and gaps’ will be left which can affect the investigation.

The court, therefore, dismissed the anticipatory bail plea.