Rs 43 crore: Cost the deported Punjabis paid for unrealised American dream

According to the data compiled by the Punjab officials, the first batch of 31 deportees from state (including a minor) had paid Rs 4.95 crore to the agents. Not all deportees in this batch had revealed the amount they paid to the agents. The second batch of 65 had paid Rs 26.97 crore while the third batch of 31 deportees, admitted to paying Rs 11.37 crore to the agents who had promised them entry in the US.

The data was collated based on the information revealed by the deportees after they landed at Amritsar airport. Each deportee was asked to reveal the name of their agent, the amount paid and the route via which they reached the US border. While many deportees in the first batch were reluctant to reveal the details, nearly all deportees in second and third batch shared the information, said a senior official.

Amount paid by Punjab deportees

The data (seen by The Indian Express) reveals that each Punjab deportee paid Rs 40-45 lakh on an average to their agents who were based in several countries — from Pakistan to Dubai, Italy to Spain, Mexico to the US, UK and in villages and cities of Punjab. A few deportees also said that they do not know the names of their agents and a few said that they had contacted the agents via social media.

The data further reveals that most of the deportees paid to the agents in cash with no receipts given to them in return, and a very few paid via online mode and have record of the transactions made. For instance, a deportee from Gurdaspur said that he paid Rs 40 lakh in cash to his agent and rest Rs 5 lakh was paid online. Another from Jalandhar paid Rs 30 lakh to his agent of which Rs 17 lakh was in cash and the remainder was paid by his brother from the US.

A Nawanshahr deportee revealed that he had contacted his UK-based agent via a friend and he does not know his address. At least three deportees said their agents were based in Pakistan and they are unaware of their full addresses. At least two deportees from Gurdaspur and Kapurthala said that they had contacted their agents via Instagram and weren’t aware of their details. Another deportee said that his agent is from Costa Rica to whom he paid Rs 44 lakh in US dollars. A couple deportee from Mohali paid Rs 85 lakh to their Ambala-based agent. Another from Ferozepur said he contacted his UK-based agent via Instagram and paid Rs 16 lakh to his aide in cash. At least 10 deportees refused to reveal the names of their agents and said they have no details about them.

Of 31 deportees in the third batch, four said that they do not want to register any case against their agent, while six said that they will discuss it with their families and then take a call. At least 18 said that they want to get their agents booked.

“With each flight, we are trying to improve our SOP for data collection. For the third batch, we also asked them if they would like to file a case against their agent or not to which majority said they would and some said they would first discuss with their families,” said the official.