Deported Haryana man says Gujarat agents took him from Mumbai to Mexico through 11 countries in 6 months

In his complaint, Rawat has shared the details of how the travel agents allegedly extracted Rs 35 lakh from him and sent him on a 178-day-long journey through 11 countries on an illegal ‘dunki’ route.

The investigation launched by the Surat City Police’s Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) is the first such official probe in connection with the matter in Gujarat even as their Haryana and Punjab counterparts have so far filed 35 and 19 FIRs respectively. Thirteen people in Haryana and eight in Punjab have been arrested in the last few weeks since the first batch of Indians was deported in February this year.

The zero FIR, which was transferred from Haryana to the DCB police station in Surat since the complainant was working in Gujarat when he met the alleged traffickers, is now being probed by the Special Operations Group (SOG) — part of the DCB — in Surat City, said Police Inspector TB Pandya.

According to the FIR, accused Abdul and Pradeep, identified only by their first names, have been booked in the case.

Inspector Pandya said that the complainant has been called to Surat to give his statement in person.

The FIR, quoting the complainant, stated that Abdul had contacted Rawat while the latter was working in Surat. Abdul informed Rawat that he was an “agent”, had sent many people to the US in the past and could send him too. Abdul also promised Rawat employment and accommodation in the US in exchange for Rs 35 lakh as payment for these services, the FIR stated.

In January 2024, the complainant put together Rs 20 lakh from his savings and loans, and paid Abdul the amount in cash. Rawat also deposited his passport with Abdul, said the FIR. In May 2024, Abdul called the complainant to Delhi and took the remaining Rs 15 lakh from him, the FIR stated.

‘Dangerous routes and confinement’

On August 6, 2024, Abdul purchased a ticket and had Rawat board a flight to Chhedi Jagan International Airport in Timehri, Guyana, from Mumbai International Airport, stated the FIR. From there on, Rawat was in contact with another agent named Pradeep.

Rawat alleged that he was sent from Guyana “through dangerous jungle routes” to Brazil. After staying in Brazil for 10 days, he was put on a bus and transported to Peru from where he was made to travel to Ecuador by another taxi, stated the FIR. Rawat claimed he was held in confinement in Ecuador for about 25 days after which he was taken to Colombia. Rawat was then kept in a house for four months in Monteria city of Colombia. While there, the FIR stated, Rawat attempted to ask for his money back but the local accomplices of Abdul and Pradeep threatened “to kill him in the foreign country”.

“Finally, after four months in Colombia, they sent Rawat through the dangerous jungles of Panama. He reached Panama City after travelling through these jungles for eight days,” said the FIR.

He was kept in a house in Panama City for 10 days where Rawat alleged he was “assaulted by the traffickers” there. Later, he was sent ahead to Costa Rica and then to Honduras by bus. From Honduras, he was sent to Nicaragua and then further on to Guatemala. After staying in Guatemala for 15 days, he was made to cross the border into Mexico and reached Mexico City, where he stayed in a hotel for a fortnight, stated the FIR. He was then sent to the north-western Mexican city of Hermosillo, where he stayed at the home of one of the traffickers for another 15 days.

On February 1, 2025, Rawat, along with a group of other Indians, was made to cross the border into the US from Tecate (Mexico) to Tecate (US) — two cities with the same name on either side of the Mexico-US border. However, as soon as they crossed the border, the groups of Indians including Rawat were apprehended by the US border officials who kept them in detention for 14 days.

They were later deported to India in the C-17 Globemaster military aircraft to Amritsar airport in Punjab on February 16.

The zero FIR was filed on March 10 at Chandibaug police station of Panipat in Haryana; the same day, it was transferred to Surat City Police.

The two travel agents have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 370 (human trafficking), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy). They were also booked under section 24 (offence and penalties related to emigration from India) of the Emigration Act. Further investigation into the matter is underway, said the police.