Mathura (UP), March 3 A couple from Punjab, accused of running a "dove trafficking" racket that cheated people by providing them with forged documents to travel abroad, were arrested from Vrindavan on Tuesday, police said.
"Dove trafficking" is a common North Indian term associated with illegal immigration and visa fraud operations.
The couple was arrested during a raid conducted on Tuesday morning. After being produced before a local magistrate, they were taken to Malerkotla on transit remand by the Punjab Police for further investigation, officials said.
The accused, identified as Saurabh Gupta and his wife Pragati Gupta, residents of Patiala in Punjab, were wanted in connection with multiple cases registered in Malerkotla for allegedly cheating people aspiring to move to Canada and misappropriating large sums of money.
According to police, the couple allegedly charged between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2.5 crore per person, claiming to send them abroad using forged documents.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Peetam Pal Singh, quoting Malerkotla DSP Manavjeet Singh Sandhu, said several complaints were lodged against the couple after the alleged fraud came to light, prompting the Punjab Police to launch a search operation about two months ago.
The investigation led police to a multi-story residential complex in the Sunrakh area of Vrindavan, where the couple had been living in an apartment in the Hare Krishna Orchid Society. Police said they were residing there with their two children and maintaining a low profile.
"They were dressed in religious attire and presented themselves as spiritually inclined. Neighbors and society members had no idea about the allegations against them," an officer said.
Police suspect that the couple continued their alleged illegal immigration operations from the Vrindavan apartment and amassed crores through fraud.
