From fake appointment letters to flight tickets: How 178 youth in Punjab duped Rs 2.3 crore in Canada job scam
As per a report in the Times of India (TOI), all the individuals who fell victim belong to the same village in Punjab and have collectively lost a whopping Rs 2.3 crore.
The accused, Popinder Singh, posing as a senior HR executive from a reputed Ottawa-based company, duped these youths with promises of lucrative employment opportunities in Canada. Palwinder Singh, a resident of Ghaziabad and one of the victims, had initially met Popinder during an event in January.
Little did he know that this encounter would lead to a massive financial fraud.
Palwinder was enticed by Popinder's offer, which included finding suitable candidates for various sectors in Canada and promising a minimum monthly salary of 3,380 Canadian dollars, equivalent to around Rs 2 lakh. The victims were required to pay for visas and other documents, with individual amounts ranging from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.
Sixty-one hopefuls even received air tickets and offer letters, only to discover that their tickets were repeatedly cancelled when they attempted to verify the status online.
Growing suspicious, the youths decided to investigate further. Their visit to the Canadian embassy in Delhi revealed a shocking truth: all the documents provided to them were forged.
By this time, Popinder, along with his associate Preeti and others from their Delhi office, had disappeared, shutting off their phones and vacating their office premises in Connaught Place.
The incident has sparked outrage and concern among the local community, leaving many questioning the authenticity of overseas job offers. An FIR has been filed against Popinder and Preeti under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery.
