Guru Sewak had dyed his hair and beard white and wore glasses to appear elderly.
In his desperate quest to leave the country for the United States, a 24-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow went to great lengths, including transforming his appearance to resemble a 67-year-old.
On the evening of June 18, around 5:20 pm, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) stationed at Delhi Airport's Terminal 3 intercepted a suspicious couple. Guru Sewak Singh, accompanied by his wife, approached the immigration counter with forged documents and an appearance designed to deceive. The passport in his possession identified him as Rashwinder Singh Sahota, allegedly born on February 2, 1957 in Punjab's Jalandhar and bound for Canada on Air Canada flight AC 043. The passport bore the number 438851 and listed Rashwinder's age as 67.
However, discrepancies between Guru Sewak's physical appearance and the details in the passport immediately raised red flags. The immigration officer noted inconsistencies in his appearance, voice, and demeanor, sparking suspicion about the authenticity of the documents and the traveler's actual identity.
Closer examination revealed that Guru Sewak had dyed his hair and beard white and wore glasses to appear elderly. Despite these efforts, the mismatch between his youthful energy and the age stated on the passport was apparent. This inconsistency prompted CISF personnel to conduct a more thorough inspection.
During the search, authorities found a soft copy of another passport on Guru Sewak's mobile phone. This passport, bearing the name Guru Sewak Singh and a birthdate of June 10, 2000, with the number V4770942, revealed the passenger's true identity. Confronted with this evidence, Guru Sewak confessed to his real age and name, admitting that the passport in the name of Rashwinder Singh Sahota was forged.
Further investigation uncovered a meticulously planned scheme. Guru Sewak disclosed that he and his wife had sought the help of a travel agent named Jaggi. Desperate to reach the United States, Guru Sewak agreed to pay Jaggi a staggering Rs 60 lakh for the journey. Jaggi's plan involved flying the couple to Canada, from where they intended to enter the United States using the "Donkey Route," a clandestine path often used by illegal immigrants.
Guru Sewak had already paid Jaggi Rs 30 lakh as an advance. To facilitate the journey, Jaggi had arranged for a fake passport and the necessary visas, providing the couple with fabricated identities.
The CISF handed Guru Sewak and his wife over to the Delhi Police for legal action. They were arrested on charges of possessing forged passports and attempting to travel abroad illegally. An FIR was registered, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine the extent of Jaggi's operations and uncover how many individuals he may have sent abroad using similar tactics.