Overview

• A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan on June 16 declined Om Prakash’s pre-arrest bail plea in the illegal migration case known as the ‘dunki route’.
• The court noted that facilitators charged with cheating and criminal conspiracy erode the international standing of Indian passports.
• Haryana Police allege Prakash duped a complainant into paying ₹43 lakh for lawful US migration before smuggling him through Dubai, Panama and Mexico.
• After the victim’s February 16 deportation, Prakash purportedly demanded a further ₹22 lakh from the complainant’s father, taking the total alleged extortion to ₹65 lakh.
• The Punjab and Haryana High Court had already rejected his anticipatory bail in April, citing his criminal antecedents and the need for custodial questioning.