A Canada-based agent has been arrested for sending people abroad on forged documents. The accused, Guramritpal Singh Multani, alias Pali (54) was wanted in a 2019 case registered at IGI Airport. He was caught at Ahmedabad airport after returning to India.
“His arrest is part of the ongoing crackdown on fraudulent agents who dupe people with the lure of overseas travel. In September alone, 52 people have been apprehended in cases of forged visas and passports,” said Vichitra Veer, DCP, IGI Airport.
Police said Multani was the key agent in a 2019 case involving nine Indian passengers deported from Ethiopia. All passengers were found carrying fake Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDCs). The certificates are allegedly issued by Samoa’s Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure. Samoa’s Government later confirmed the documents were forged. The case was registered as FIR No. 448/2019 at IGI Airport under IPC sections related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
Five people had been arrested earlier. Two of the deported passengers identified Multani as the agent who provided them fake CDCs in exchange for `20 lakh each. Multani shifted to Canada in 1995 and obtained permanent residency in 1999. He was intercepted by a Delhi Police team at Ahmedabad airport on September 29. The arrest was carried out by Inspector Satish Yadav and Constable Hemant, under the supervision of Inspector Virender Tyagi (SHO, IGI Airport) and ACP Pradeep Meena.
During questioning, Multani claimed he was once a national-level Kabaddi player. He had represented Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and later played for Hamilton Punjab Sports Club in Canada during 1996-97. Investigators said he admitted to entering the fake documents trade for “quick and easy money” after coming in contact with other agents.
In the 2019 case, police said Multani used his Jalandhar-based associate, Manjeet, to arrange forged CDCs for passengers seeking to travel abroad as seafarers. The two charged Rs 20 lakh each from the travellers.
According to officials, Multani has a long record of similar offences. He is named in seven cases between 2009 and 2021, all registered at the IGI Airport police station. These include four FIRs in 2009 under IPC sections for forgery and cheating, a 2012 case under the Passport Act, the 2019 Samoa CDC case, and a 2021 case of impersonation and cheating.
A senior officer said efforts are on to trace his wider network and associates both in India and abroad. “We are investigating his past activities and financial links. He has been arrested after six years, and we are hopeful of making further recoveries,” the police officer said.
The September crackdown, under which Multani was arrested, has seen 52 persons apprehended for forged visas, passports and travel documents. Officials said the drive will continue with “zero tolerance” towards such fraud.
