Not the first time

Ajay Shukla, 35, was earlier arrested for human trafficking in 2006, reports Vijaita Singh.

Delhi Police on Saturday arrested one Ajay Shukla, 35, on the charges of sending 100 people to the US on forged documents. The police have found that Shukla has been arrested earlier in connection with a human trafficking case in 2006.

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Shukla holds a masters degree from Delhi University and is married with a two-and-a-half-year-old son. He has allegedly amassed huge amount of wealth through his illegal business.

"He lived with his father-in-law at a palatial house in E-Block, Green Park, and moved around in a Honda Civic," said a senior police officer. His father-in-law, a travel agent, too, reportedly was involved in a similar racket in 1998. The police are now checking Shukla's bank documents. He was running the racket from Safdarjung Hospital, police said.

Shukla and his associate, Pawan, preyed on visa applicants outside the US Embassy. "They told the applicants that their papers were faulty and offered help in correcting the supposed flaws. The duo would then take them to their office and supply fake documents," said Satyendra Garg, additional commissioner of police (crime). Police said they promised financial documents in lieu of Rs 5 lakh.

The police have also found that visa applicants themselves arranged the fake stamps of various government departments. "If the applicant belonged to Moga in Punjab, he was asked to arrange a rubber stamp of the revenue department of his hometown that was used to endorse his bank documents to make them look genuine," said a senior police officer, part of the special team that nabbed the accused.

Shukla routinely applied for 10 to 15 visas at the US Embassy, out of which he managed to obtain three to four visas every month. Police said the accused charged between Rs 15,000-20,000 from people whose visas were rejected.