ED attaches assets of 'dunki' route agents in Punjab

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) Assets worth more than Rs 5 crore of some Punjab-based agents have been attached under the anti-money laundering law in a case linked to illegally sending Indians to the US through the "dunki" route, the ED said on Monday.

The investigation stems from a clutch of FIRs registered by police in Punjab and Haryana in connection with the deportation of 330 Indian nationals to India on military cargo planes by the United States in February.

These people were found to be living "illegally" on the US soil.

Agricultural land, residential and business premises, apart from bank accounts of agents Shubham Sharma, Jagjit Singh, Surmukh Singh and their families have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The total value of these properties is Rs 5.41 crore, the ED said in a statement.

Describing the alleged modus operandi of these agents, the federal agency said they "cheated" gullible people by luring them under the pretext of sending them to the US legally and charged "hefty" amounts for the same.

However, they used to send these people through dangerous routes via South American countries, even as they were made to cross over to the US illegally through its border with Mexico.

The word "donkey", "dunkey" or "dunki" refers to the donkey-like long and hard journey undertaken by immigrants to enter countries illegally.

Throughout the journey, according to the ED, these people were tortured, extorted for even more money and made to commit illegal acts. These agents and their associates generated proceeds of crime (illicit money as defined under the PMLA) by cheating these people, the agency said.

The ED conducted raids as part of the probe in July.

The US has deported more than 1,500 Indians so far this year. PTI MHS NES RC