Apex court denies anticipatory bail to Haryana ‘dunki' agent
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant pre-arrest bail to a man accused of acting as a facilitator in an illegal immigration racket, popularly known as 'dunki', observing that such acts not only involve serious offences but also diminish the global value of Indian passports and harm the interests of genuine citizens.
A bench of justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan was hearing a plea filed by Om Parkash, who is facing prosecution under several serious charges, including cheating, criminal conspiracy, trafficking and intimidation.
'This is a very serious offence… Such incidents lower the standing of Indian passports internationally. They also adversely affect genuine people,' remarked the bench, dismissing the plea against the Punjab and Haryana high court's order denying him anticipatory bail.
The top court said there were 'very serious allegations' against the petitioner.
In an FIR filed by Haryana police Prakash was accused of aiding the main accused, an immigration agent who promised to send the complainant to the United States through legitimate channels for a payment of ₹43 lakh.
However, the complainant was routed through Dubai, taken to multiple countries, smuggled through the forests of Panama, and eventually pushed across the US-Mexico border on February 1, 2025.
The ordeal ended with the complainant being arrested by US authorities, imprisoned and deported to India on February 16, 2025. Following this, the accused allegedly demanded an additional ₹22 lakh from the complainant's father, taking the total extorted amount to ₹65 lakh.
In April, the Punjab and Haryana HC denied anticipatory bail to Prakash, taking note of the deposition by the complainant's father that directly implicated him in the fraud. The court also cited the petitioner's prior criminal history and said the case was in its 'nascent stage', warranting a thorough investigation.
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