Punjab Police set ball rolling to extradite 14 people from UK

The Bureau of Investigation (BOI), a wing of the Punjab Police, has initiated the process to bring back 14 Punjab residents from the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with a suspected international human trafficking racket involving forged e-visa and employment documents.

The development comes nine months after the 14 passengers allegedly travelled from Amritsar to London on Air India flights and subsequently sought asylum in the UK. According to the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case, all 14 passengers had allegedly used forged digital immigration documents to obtain e-visas and facilitate their travel. The SIT has recently submitted its report to the BOI.

Following the SIT’s findings, warrants have been issued against all 14 passengers and the BOI has initiated extradition-related proceedings. The Punjab Police are also expected to send a mutual legal assistance request to the UK seeking legal and evidentiary assistance in the investigation.

Officers probing the case said they were in the process of writing to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to proceed with the extradition process.

According to the SIT report, the passengers, all residents of Punjab, travelled on Air India flights AI-169 and AI-117 from Amritsar between January 11 and 16 this year. They allegedly displayed screenshots of forged e-visa-related documents and employment papers stored on their mobile phones while completing the travel process.

The investigation has so far identified 30 people in connection with the alleged racket. These include the 14 passengers, three Air India employees, four employees of AI Airport Services Limited (AIASL), the airline’s ground-handling arm, and several travel agents and other suspected persons.

Investigators have also found that the same mobile phone number was allegedly used to book tickets for 10 of the 14 passengers. According to the SIT, this suggests that their travel arrangements may have been coordinated by a common individual or an organised network.

Sought asylum in UK

The case came to light after the first group of five passengers travelled from Amritsar to London on January 11. After arriving in the UK, they sought asylum and were subsequently detained by British authorities. Their travel documents were found to be allegedly forged, following which British authorities alerted Air India and Indian authorities

Despite the alert, another nine passengers carrying allegedly similar documents were permitted to board an Air India flight from Amritsar on January 16. Their subsequent departure became a significant part of the Punjab Police investigation, particularly in relation to the suspected role of airline and ground-handling personnel.

A senior officer associated with the investigation said warrants had been issued against all 14 passengers and sent to their addresses in Punjab.

The officer said the police would also send a mutual legal assistance request to the UK. Such requests are used by authorities in one country to seek evidence, documents, witness assistance or other forms of legal cooperation from another country in connection with criminal investigations or proceedings.

Airline, ground staff, travel agents under gaze

The investigation has also expanded beyond the passengers to examine the alleged involvement of Air India employees, AIASL ground-handling personnel and travel agents.

The SIT has sent laptops, mobile phones and hard disks belonging to suspected airline and ground-handling personnel to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for examination. Investigators are awaiting the forensic report, which is expected to help determine whether and to what extent the employees were involved in the alleged network.

A police officer said further action against the suspected airline and ground-handling personnel, including the possible issuance of warrants, would depend on the findings of the forensic examination.The investigation is also examining how passengers carrying allegedly forged documents were able to complete the airport and boarding process, particularly after British authorities had reportedly alerted the Indian side following the detention of the first group. The case was registered in April in Mohali following inputs received from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) and British authorities.

The FIR invokes Section 143(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to human trafficking, and Section 13(1) of the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012.

Following registration of the case, a SIT headed by superintendent of police Richa Agnihotri was constituted to investigate the alleged trafficking network and determine the circumstances under which passengers carrying allegedly forged documents were allowed to travel from Amritsar.

Lodged in UK detention centres

According to an MHA report forwarded to the Punjab BOI, the 14 passengers are currently lodged in detention centres in the UK.

The police are now preparing to submit the challan and initiate further legal proceedings against the accused. The investigation is also examining evidence from the UK and the forensic material seized from suspected airline and ground-handling personnel.