At least 11 cases have emerged from Punjab in less than a year in which young men allegedly travelled abroad after being promised jobs in European countries but later ended up in countries such as Thailand, Iran, Ethiopia and Kenya. According to the families, they were then contacted by a man identifying himself as “Khan Baba” and asked to pay between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 70 lakh for the release of the youths.
In some cases, families managed to arrange the money and brought their relatives back. Those who could not pay reportedly faced further legal trouble abroad, including being lodged in jails.
One such case involves 24-year-old Manpreet Singh from Gill village in Kapurthala and 27-year-old Kulraj Singh from Manak village in Jalandhar tehsil. Both were working in their respective areas before they were approached separately by a local travel agent with promises of jobs in Spain’s hospitality sector.
According to the two families, the agent told them that no advance payment would be required. They were allegedly told to first reach Spain and then pay the agent from their earnings.
On June 30 this year, Manpreet and Kulraj left India. However, instead of reaching Spain, they found themselves in Thailand, according to their accounts.
The families later received calls from a man who identified himself as “Khan Baba”. They were allegedly asked to pay Rs 15 lakh each for the release of the two youths.
Manpreet’s family managed to arrange the money and he returned home. Kulraj’s family, however, said it could not arrange the full amount. According to his family, the alleged kidnappers later gave a “wrong tip-off” against him, following which Kulraj ended up in a jail in Thailand.
The two cases are part of a larger pattern being reported from Punjab. According to the information available in these cases, young men from modest financial backgrounds were promised employment in countries including Spain, Australia and South Korea. Instead, they allegedly reached countries including Thailand, Iran, Ethiopia and Kenya through different routes.
The families have told police that they received calls from the same person using the name “Khan Baba”. Many of the youths were working as drivers, barbers, petrol-pump workers or daily-wage labourers before travelling abroad.
Their families reportedly had to borrow money or sell valuables to arrange the demanded amounts. Police officers told that call recordings submitted by the families are being examined to identify and trace the person allegedly using the name “Khan Baba”. However, police have so far found few leads.
Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said the complaints were being examined separately on a case-by-case basis.
Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal has also raised the matter with the External Affairs Ministry, Union Home Ministry and Punjab DGP, seeking assistance from Interpol.
In the Manpreet and Kulraj case, a local agent, Sanjeev Kumar, helped facilitate their travel and has been named in a police complaint. Sanjeev has admitted arranging their travel but said he did not take any money from the youths.
He has alleged that Sumrit Kumar, originally from Phagwara and currently based in Malaysia, was involved in arranging travel to Europe. Sanjeev said he trusted Sumrit and was told that the youths would initially travel to Thailand before obtaining their Spain visas.
According to Sanjeev, the families were later directed to a person in Amritsar, who allegedly collected money for Sumrit through cryptocurrency.
Kulraj’s mother, Kuldeep Kaur, has named Sumrit, his mother, his sister Komal and Sanjeev in her police complaint. She also said she visited Sumrit’s house with her daughter-in-law and Sanjeev, where she later received a call from Komal, who is also in Malaysia, allegedly telling her that payment would have to be made.
Police have questioned Sanjeev and recorded his statement. SSP Toora said the investigation into the matter is underway.
