IGIA: Agent arrested after 13-yr manhunt

NEW DELHI: The IGI Airport Police team has arrested a proclaimed offender agent from Ludhiana, Punjab, after a 13-year-long pursuit, where Singh had been evading arrest since 2011 for his involvement in a passport fraud case.

An anonymous source tipped the IGI Airport Police about the agent.

The accused has been identified as Manjeet Singh alias Bitto (58) son of Maghar Singh resident of Nirankari Mohalla, Millarganj, Ludhiana, Punjab.

According to the police, in November 2011, Singh orchestrated the illegal travel of a woman, Kulvinder Kaur, from Austria to Delhi using another person’s passport.

Kaur’s documents raised suspicions during immigration clearance at IGI Airport when discrepancies were found in her travel records, showing mismatched departure and arrival entries.

Following her arrest, she revealed that Singh, an agent, had arranged her journey to Austria for Rs 10 lakh and later used her passport to facilitate the return of another individual.

Singh’s associate, Gurdeep Singh, was arrested in 2011, but Singh managed to flee, leading to his proclamation as an offender in 2013 by a Patiala House Court order.

Despite multiple raids, he remained at large until a specialised IGI Airport Police team, led by Inspector Sushil Goyal, tracked and arrested him in Delhi based on local intelligence.

During interrogation, Singh confessed to his involvement, admitting to arranging fraudulent journeys and manipulating travel documents. Police are now investigating his bank accounts and probing his potential involvement in other cases. This arrest marks a significant step in the fight against illegal immigration networks. Police urged passengers to approach authorised agencies for travel documentation to avoid falling victim to fraudulent agents.