US NRI's kingpin arrested for human trafficking case of 29 folk artists from Punjab

New Delhi, Nov. 05, 2007
Satinder Arora

Sanjay Kaushik, a former employee in the US Embassy have been arrested from his house in Janak Puri, New Delhi who was helping Farooq Mehmood Chaudhary, a NRI based in US to run a human trafficking racket. They add more people as a dance troupe with forged documents along with folk artistes.

Sanjay worked as a visa specialist between 1996 and 1999. He was reportedly fired from the embassy for helping the travel agents in getting visas to USA. He charged Rs 50,000 per candidate from Farooq Ahmad Chaudhary for getting visa clearance. He downloaded the application forms for all the applicants and filled up suitable data in the forms to get easy clearance. He knew all the tricks and procedure of visa clearance

Dolly Malkit Singh, Punjab pop singer was arrested on October 9 when they had applied for US visa on forged documents. Dolly is a resident of Sector 67 in Mohali. She has acted in a number of Punjabi films and have given a number of stage performances abroad.

 

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US embassy alerted police after receiving fraudulent documents for visa.

NRI arrested in human trafficking case for using fake documents
in troupe of 29 folk artists from Punjab

New Delhi, October 13, 2007
Satinder Arora

NRI Ashu Vaid, USA was arrested by Delhi police following a complaint from the US embassy that 29 folk artistes allegedly attempting to go to the US with forged documents.The US embassy here had alerted police after receiving fraudulent documents for visa.

Today, the police requested for remand of four persons:

• Mastermind Ashwini Vaid, alias Ashu Vaid - runs a departmental store in the US
• Three people, Jai Kishan, Vikesh Arora and Jaswinder Singh, who helped Vaid to run the racket in India. They formed a troupe which also comprised 21 others who were to be trafficked
• US NRI, Farooq Mehmoud Chowdhury is Vaid’s key partner who advised him to look for genuine folk artists to run a human trafficking racket.

The police spokesman told media in New Delhi:

• They suppose to charge Rs 15 to 20 lakh per person and took one lakh in advance from each person
• Rashmi Negi, troupe manager would receive 5.5 lakh for entire project
• The artists in the US would receive between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 per show
• Ashwini Vaid came to India to finalize this whole project
• Farooq Chowdhury arranged the visa papers

The Artist Dolly Malkit Singh- She was also sent to judicial custody

Dolly Malkit Singh, Punjabi pop singer did not play any significant part in the racket but she was aware of Vaid’s intentions.

Delhi Police and Punjab police are working together to investigate the case further