A travel agent has been accused of defrauding an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Ludhiana police by promising to secure a UK visa for his niece. The division number 8 police have registered a case against Sachin Punj, a resident of King Park, Lakshmi Nagar, on the complaint of ASI Gurmel Singh, posted in the women’s cell.
According to the complaint, a resident of Nanak Nagar, Salem Tabri, the accused lured him into paying ₹6 lakh for his niece’s study visa to the UK. Despite months of delays, the visa was not procured and repeated inquiries led to false assurances from the travel agent.
The ASI claimed that the accused returned ₹4.25 lakh in installments but withheld ₹1.27 lakh, refusing to repay the full amount. Feeling cheated, Gurmel Singh filed a complaint with senior police officials on May 27, 2023.
Following an inquiry, the police initiated action. Sub-inspector Bibal Kaur, the investigating officer, confirmed that Sachin Punj has been booked under Section 420 of the IPC.