Punjab: Six private bus drivers caught transporting migrants on fake passes, arrested

MANSA: Six bus drivers were arrested and their vehicles impounded by Sardulgarh police of Mansa district. The drivers were taking migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh by fraudulently preparing inter-state passes issued by additional district magistrate(ADM) Bathinda.
A total of 345 migrant workers, including 150 men, 80 women and 115 children, all brick kiln workers, were being transported out of Punjab.After making the migrant labourers alight from buses late on Saturday night, police made boarding and lodging arrangements for them. Police also made bus drivers return the nearly Rs 3 lakh charged from the migrant workers to take them to Mahoba town in UP. The district police arranged buses for the migrants. After medical examination and screening, they were allowed to move on to Mahoba in UP. Mansa SSP Narinder Bhargav said they are investigating how the bus drivers or owners prepared the passes.
A case has been registered under sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188(disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) against six drivers; Paramjeet Singh, Bunty Seth and Jasbir Singh of Noor Chahal bus transport, Gomy Singh of Jogi Peer Bus transport, Balbir Singh of Sohal Bus and Amrik Singh of Bhai Behlo Bus service and transport owners Surinder Kumar, Harminder Singh, Balkaran Singh and Manpreet Singh, all from district Mansa. The six drivers have been arrested. According to the SSP, bus owners and drivers did not maintain social distancing in buses.