Trying to flee to Malaysia, key accused in Rs 12.30-lakh immigration fraud arrested

2 min readChandigarhUpdated: Jul 10, 2026 10:38 PM IST

Panchkula police has arrested the alleged mastermind of a Rs 12.30-lakh immigration fraud, in which a resident was duped on the promise of being sent legally to the United States, but was instead routed through Dubai and Armenia via the illegal ‘Dunki’ route.

The accused, who had been absconding for nearly two years, was intercepted at Amritsar airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Malaysia. Police said a Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against the accused, identified as Azad Singh of Panipat, led to his detention at the airport on Thursday. A team of the Anti-Emigration Fraud Unit brought him to Panchkula after completing legal formalities. A local court on Friday granted the police three days’ remand for further interrogation.

According to police, the case was registered at Raipur Rani police station on March 7, 2024, under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 24 of the Immigration Act following a complaint by a Panchkula resident.

The complainant alleged that the accused and his associates promised to send him legally to the US on a tourist visa for Rs 38 lakh and collected Rs 12.30 lakh as an advance. Instead, he was allegedly sent first to Dubai and then Armenia while being repeatedly assured that he would eventually reach America. Realising he had been cheated, he returned to India and approached the police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Srishti Gupta said police had earlier arrested three co-accused — Baljinder, Vikas alias Vicky and Pankaj Chauhan — and filed a chargesheet against them, while Azad Singh had remained on the run. An LOC was issued against him on June 23, 2024.

During his interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed the involvement of another associate, who is now being traced. Police said efforts are also underway to recover the share of the cheated money allegedly received by him.

Gupta urged people planning to go abroad to deal only with government-authorised and licensed immigration agents and avoid falling prey to agents making false promises of overseas jobs or illegal migration routes. She appealed to victims of such frauds to report the matter to the police or the Anti-Emigration Fraud Unit for prompt legal action.

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.

Professional Background
Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.

Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.

Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory’s financial management, and urban development projects.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:

1. Investigative & Financial Reporting
“Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs” (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.

“Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height” (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on “non-viable” solutions for pedestrian control.

“Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now” (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.

2. Governance & Constitutional Status
“What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?” (Nov 24, 2025): An “Explained” piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT’s governance.

“MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure” (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh’s municipal leadership structure.

“No proposal to increase Mayor’s term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre” (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government’s response to demands for a longer mayoral term.

3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment
“Chandigarh admn cuts power to India’s tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it” (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed “of no use” by experts.

“UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar” (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city’s water network.

“Centre ‘obfuscating, covering up’ MC’s shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump” (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city’s major waste dump.

4. Lifestyle & Local Trends
“Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge” (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.

“After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh” (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.

Signature Beat
Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her “Ground Zero” reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.

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