22-05-2025
7 Countries, Rs 45 Lakh, 1 Jail Cell: What Love Cost This Punjab Youth
Last Updated:
Prithvipal Singh dreamt of a new life in the US and paid agent Ajit Pal Singh Rs 30 lakh, who promised to arrange his journey. Later, in France, he paid Rs 15 lakh to another agent
A glue mark on a passport page led to the unraveling of a harrowing journey that ended in jail and deportation for a 27-year-old man from Punjab, who had set out for the United States in pursuit of love. Prithvipal Singh, a resident of Guttaran village in Jalandhar, was arrested by US authorities after they detected glue traces from a fake visa used to enter the country illegally. He spent four months in jail before being deported back to India.
Prithvipal Singh dreamt of starting a new life in the US. To realise this dream, he sought the services of an agent named Ajit Pal Singh, who promised to facilitate his journey for Rs 30 lakh.
After receiving the payment, Ajit Pal initially sent Prithvipal to Dubai. However, the journey took a drastic turn when, after a month in Dubai, he was rerouted through Serbia, Romania, and finally France. It was in France that a dispute over money arose between Prithvipal and Ajit Pal, leading Ajit Pal to abandon Prithvipal.
Stranded in France for about two to three years, Prithvipal eventually encountered another agent, Harpreet Singh, who demanded Rs 15 lakh and assured him of passage to America.
According to Usha Rangnani, Additional Commissioner of Police at IGI Airport, Harpreet and his associates then orchestrated Prithvipal's journey to Mexico via Netherlands, Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
In Mexico, a fake visa was affixed to Prithvipal's passport, enabling his illegal entry into the United States. Upon arrival in the US, Prithvipal removed the fake visa, but glue marks left on his passport page led to his arrest by American security agencies.
On the night of May 1-2, when Prithvipal landed at IGI Airport, immigration officials detained him and handed him over to the police. During interrogation by the IGI Airport Police, Prithvipal revealed that Ajit Pal Singh, along with Sanjeev and Sarabjit Singh, had orchestrated the conspiracy.
Ajitpal and Sanjeev were promptly arrested, but Sarabjit initially evaded capture. After approximately 20 days of intensive efforts, the IGI Airport Police managed to apprehend Sarabjit as well.
First Published:
May 22, 2025, 14:52 IST
