Bahraich (UP), Jul 24 (PTI): A court here on Friday remanded a US national, two alleged members of the Punjab-based outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’, and three local travel agents accused of facilitating their entry into India from Nepal to 14 days’ judicial custody.
According to prosecution sources, Judicial Magistrate (Fifth) Sangeeta Gaur sent the five to the Bahraich district jail till August 6.
The accused were Vikramjit Singh, a wanted member of the banned outfit Waris Punjab De, US citizen Manveer Singh Dhillon, and travel agents Rahul Kumar, Suresh Pathak and Dilip Pathak.
The latter three allegedly helped Vikramjit and Manveer cross the India-Nepal border illegally through a route locally known as “Chor Gali” in the Rupaideha border area on Thursday.
Bahraich Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Srivastava said Vikramjit Singh, a native of Balachaur in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district, was wanted in two criminal cases filed at Ajnala Police Station in 2023 and was hiding in Kathmandu.
Manveer, originally from Punjab’s Moga but now a US citizen living in Los Angeles, was also wanted in a 2023 case registered at Bhagpurana Police Station in Moga, the SP said.
He said Manveer allegedly entered India without a visa to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement agencies.
According to police, the three travel agents were to transport the two from Rupaideha to Puranpur in Pilibhit district in a Tata Innova car.
The police seized an iPhone 17 Pro Max, a US passport, bank cards, USD 900 and Nepali currency from Manveer. Fake identity documents, a PAN card and a driving licence were recovered from Vikramjit.
The car and a motorcycle used in the operation have also been seized, the police said.
Srivastava said the five were booked under the BNS and the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
He said that Manveer’s wife and daughter, who were travelling with him, possessed valid travel documents and were allowed legal entry into India in accordance with immigration rules.
Prosecution sources said a Punjab Police team came to Bahraich on Friday to take Vikramjit and Manveer into custody.
The court, however, remanded them to judicial custody in Bahraich, necessitating Punjab Police to secure a production warrant for their transit. PTI COR KIS VN VN
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