NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
New Delhi, June 18, July 2, 2024: In a desperate bid to reach the United States, a 24-year-old man from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, went to extraordinary lengths to alter his appearance to look like a 67-year-old. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 intercepted the man and his wife around 5:20 PM on June 18.
Guru Sewak Singh, traveling with his wife, presented a forged passport and appeared much older than his actual age. The passport identified him as Rashwinder Singh Sahota, purportedly born on February 2, 1957, in Jalandhar, Punjab, and headed to Canada on Air Canada flight AC 043. However, his unlined skin and youthful features contrasted starkly with the document’s details, raising the suspicion of CISF personnel.
Despite dyeing his hair white, donning glasses, and adopting other aging tactics, Singh’s skin texture and youthful voice betrayed him. Officials quickly determined that the passport and accompanying documents were counterfeit.
During questioning, Singh revealed his true identity and provided a digital copy of his genuine passport.
Singh disclosed that he had engaged the services of a travel agent named Jaggi, paying ₹30 lakh upfront out of a total ₹60 lakh fee to facilitate his and his wife’s illegal journey to the United States via Canada. Jaggi had orchestrated the entire plan, providing fake passports and visas.
The plan involved flying the couple to Canada, from where they intended to take the “donkey route” to enter the United States, a path used by immigrants to enter the country illegally.
Vigilant CISF personnel intercepted a passenger bound for Canada involved in human trafficking & impersonation. The pax attempted to travel by impersonating an aged person and using false documents. The passenger was handed over to Delhi Police.@HMOIndia@MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/Ivwj6qRoVI
— CISF (@CISFHQrs) June 19, 2024
The CISF handed Singh and his wife over to the Delhi Police, who arrested them for possessing forged passports and attempting to travel abroad illegally. An FIR has been filed, and an investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of Jaggi’s operations and identify other individuals who may have been smuggled using similar methods.
